tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599666081241759888.post463074249876442827..comments2023-08-29T08:01:08.055-06:00Comments on An Educator's Life: Teaching with the Common Core Standards- Book Club Post #1Mr. Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06426578721128357285noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599666081241759888.post-87032854433555283622013-06-22T13:36:46.851-06:002013-06-22T13:36:46.851-06:00@Right Down the Middle- I couldn't agree more....@Right Down the Middle- I couldn't agree more. I think about my students who were struggling, and even my on-level readers, that don't find reading "entertaining". This technology based generation is a interesting puzzle to solve. I still believe there is ONE book that will get kids hooked on reading. Hence the reason I keep on buying more and more books. You never know which one will be the one to get them hooked!Mr. Hugheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06426578721128357285noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599666081241759888.post-51303083297321287962013-06-15T21:46:05.976-06:002013-06-15T21:46:05.976-06:00Yes, this one scares me, too. I read as many new b...Yes, this one scares me, too. I read as many new books that come out as I can. I am always on the lookout for new, more complex texts that are age appropriate. This is a hard task. Andreahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09555709660514396543noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599666081241759888.post-38050951427186684652013-06-15T21:44:31.415-06:002013-06-15T21:44:31.415-06:00One word...nervous! As a teacher, I feel very nerv...One word...nervous! As a teacher, I feel very nervous introducing harder and more complex texts to my struggling students. I want them to succeed. Their progress takes time, but if we can build their confidence level up, then we can slowly introduce more complex texts to them. I just do not want them to become so overwhelmed that they completely shut down and are unable to make adequate progress. Andreahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09555709660514396543noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599666081241759888.post-69638508363582535642013-06-15T21:42:26.183-06:002013-06-15T21:42:26.183-06:00This is a tricky one. I think that most districts ...This is a tricky one. I think that most districts and schools are still trying to grasp all that CCSS entails. I think the way the CCSS are structured, it is hard to find time to really add to the what is already required of the teachers and students right now. More emphasis definitely needs to be placed on writing with support for one's ideas. Citing evidence and text complexity are very big components of the CCSS. I think that it will be a while before districts and schools move in the direction of putting their own signature on the CCSS. Andreahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09555709660514396543noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599666081241759888.post-14177956680610455092013-06-15T21:39:26.564-06:002013-06-15T21:39:26.564-06:00@Mr. Hughes. I agree that I make a lot of assumpti...@Mr. Hughes. I agree that I make a lot of assumptions that the students know more than they actually do when it comes to print and nonprint sources of information. I am hoping that over the next couple of years, we can instill a better work ethic in our students. Over the past several years, I have seen a decline in the amount of effort the students are willing to put into their education. They tend to want you to just tell them how to do it, without having to think through the process. Andreahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09555709660514396543noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599666081241759888.post-37894962135928233902013-06-15T21:36:39.471-06:002013-06-15T21:36:39.471-06:00For me, text complexity seems to be one of the har...For me, text complexity seems to be one of the hardest issues to do. In our county, finances are tight. We do not have the money to purchase multiple novels per grade level for all of the schools. I have brought novels into my classroom and simply read them aloud to my students. I was the only person in the room with a copy of the novel, and I often times wondered how many students hung in there with me. When I am the one reading, it is difficult to constantly make sure everyone seems to be with-it. I definitely think we have to meet the students where they are, and help them progress. I am firm believer that anytime standards are adopted and implemented, the implementation process should begin in the lower grades and work to the upper grades year after year. Then, we are not expecting these students to completely change their thinking and educational foundation when they are in middle and high school. If we start with Kindergarten and implement each year, the students will have the background knowledge and skills they need. <br /><br />I have found that we generally adopt and/or change standards about every five years. Hopefully, with the Common Core, we can keep it around long enough to see it work. Andreahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09555709660514396543noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599666081241759888.post-23815114159428249842013-06-13T13:46:28.325-06:002013-06-13T13:46:28.325-06:00Hey Mr. E-
I LOVE those trees! THEY ROCK. Well, ac...Hey Mr. E-<br />I LOVE those trees! THEY ROCK. Well, actually, so does your blog and art lessons. I am far from an artist, but I have found some fun and engaging activities on your blog that I tried with my 6th graders last year. They really enjoyed the projects. <br /><br />I agree about the calling vs. job! Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope we get to interact more in the future.Mr. Hugheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06426578721128357285noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599666081241759888.post-24352788877028263172013-06-13T12:31:44.086-06:002013-06-13T12:31:44.086-06:00@Jennifer- I know what you mean about wishing you ...@Jennifer- I know what you mean about wishing you could keep them longer! For me I think realistically I have to realize that a year's growth is what I will see out of them at a minimum, and of course anything beyond that is gravy. I agree, though, it is so frustrating when even sometimes a 3 year growth STILL isn't enough to get them on grade level! But imagine if every teacher was highly trained in reading and implements a blended model of instruction of guided/leveled reading texts and grade level close reading texts.....hmmmm....maybe I am on to something new! :) We will have to keep the date of this post. Ha ha ha! Love bouncing ideas back and forth with you all :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05159699370231218889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599666081241759888.post-65551497342828482022013-06-12T19:51:10.077-06:002013-06-12T19:51:10.077-06:00Hey Mr. Hughes!! This is Ted Edinger from Art Wit...Hey Mr. Hughes!! This is Ted Edinger from Art With Mr. E! I saw you pinned my TREES from VBS. :) So I was checkin out your blog...wow you got a lot of kids!! ha ha I guess I shouldn't stress over my 2! :) Looks like you are doing awesome stuff!! Keep up the great work man. Teaching is a calling...not just a job.Mr. Ehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05768674025111043769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599666081241759888.post-33091957194197993562013-06-12T19:35:55.452-06:002013-06-12T19:35:55.452-06:00@John and Heather, I will definitely keep meeting ...@John and Heather, I will definitely keep meeting them were they are. And we always spent a day or two each week on a grade level text, but I like how you called it "blending." That sounds nice to me! And my kids showed huge growth on the state test in ELA this year and last year. I just feel so bad that even though they grow a year's worth of levels or more, they are still behind! I wish I could keep some of the kids for two or more years!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06854335318110828794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599666081241759888.post-81807050300456470022013-06-12T16:01:07.144-06:002013-06-12T16:01:07.144-06:00@Jennifer F.- Definitely don't drop your level...@Jennifer F.- Definitely don't drop your leveled reading groups. Last year I taught EIP, and those are the kiddos who are below grade level. I still used leveled texts that were on their instructional level, and I also pulled in texts that were grade level, which meant those texts were too hard for them. But while they read their leveled texts, I read the higher level text to them. They each had their own copy or I put it on our Activboard so they could follow along and have a reference for when they answered the questions I posed to them. I was amazed when they were able to give me great answers to the higher level text. But if I had made them try to read through it, they never would have been able to comprehend. <br /><br />I think that blending the two is very important: leveled texts and the "grade level" texts. I use their level text to teach/work on certain skills: cause & effect, main idea, etc. Yes, they certainly need to be exposed to the grade level text, especially when they will have to read it on the state tests, but at the same time, providing texts on their level will boost their confidence and helps them become better readers. I think that expecting ALL kids to be reading on grade level just isn't realistic when you have kids who come in 2,3, and sometimes 4 years below grade level. I was very pleased with how my kiddos did on our state tests this year after using both their level text and the harder text. You just have to give them more support with the harder text so they don't struggle and get discouraged. <br /><br />I think that as teachers, we have to figure out the balance in our classroom of leveled text vs. grade level text and then scaffold to help our students on the harder grade level text.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05159699370231218889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599666081241759888.post-6793354587494874362013-06-12T12:27:57.041-06:002013-06-12T12:27:57.041-06:00@Jennifer F.
I highly doubt it, and, I am pretty s...@Jennifer F.<br />I highly doubt it, and, I am pretty sure it would have dropped them further behind. I see it every year in my 6th grade classroom. Students are low readers, try to read bigger books like their classmates, and drop in their reading. They won't believe me when I tell them it will happen, they have to try it out for themselves. <br /><br />They finally decide that reading too hard of books makes no sense. So, they accept that they are reading at a lower level, and then their reading skills jump.<br /><br />I too worry about the F&P Guided reading, especially since my ENTIRE 5000 BOOK LIBRARY is based on it. Sigh...Mr. Hugheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06426578721128357285noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599666081241759888.post-68138569507151999532013-06-12T09:23:39.629-06:002013-06-12T09:23:39.629-06:00I wonder what this means for Fountas and Pinnell g...I wonder what this means for Fountas and Pinnell guided reading. I read in my Close Reading book that CCSS was moving away from guided reading and more towards every student is expecting to encounter and struggle with grade level text. I had 12 kids last year that read on a 3rd grade level in 5th grade. I used texts at their level for guided reading last year. They showed growth but are still not on grade level. This happens every year. The kids grow, but never catch up. If I would have made them grapple with grade level text more would it have made a difference?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06854335318110828794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599666081241759888.post-57320163762699016182013-06-10T16:00:16.331-06:002013-06-10T16:00:16.331-06:00@Jessica-
I 100% agree. These are the things that ...@Jessica-<br />I 100% agree. These are the things that are making teaching nearly impossible...ha ha. We can't magically make a student that is not ready to be a reader, read. Developmentally designed curriculum is a thing of the past. Now it is a race to be the best, regardless of the cost. It will come back to haunt us sooner than later when every school is "failing" to create readers and writing. And since writing is a higher form of reading, both concepts will suffer.Mr. Hugheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06426578721128357285noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599666081241759888.post-61752888360775699222013-06-10T15:57:51.993-06:002013-06-10T15:57:51.993-06:00I think that students just need to have LOTS of pr...I think that students just need to have LOTS of practice. I tend to find myself assuming that my students have more skills that then really do, simply because they are the "digital" generation. <br /><br />It is something that I am working on constantly and always looking for new ways to teach this concept. I have found the students want to just "do" without thinking about it.Mr. Hugheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06426578721128357285noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599666081241759888.post-50757228004184635782013-06-10T15:54:16.432-06:002013-06-10T15:54:16.432-06:00@Heather-
Ha ha! I agree with you. I was working w...@Heather-<br />Ha ha! I agree with you. I was working with my writing classes (grades 4-6) and we were talking about the internet. Many of my students also believed that if it was on-line it was true. I showed this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bufTna0WArc. We laugh and then talk about what the internet is, how pages are made, and then ways to be good consumers of digital media.<br /><br />It is a skill that is NOT part of their way of thinking. That is the scary part of this digital generation- all play and very little thinking about content.<br /><br />I have a HUGE job ahead of me this year teaching digital media literacy!Mr. Hugheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06426578721128357285noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599666081241759888.post-40442562570748929602013-06-10T15:34:22.843-06:002013-06-10T15:34:22.843-06:00I think I have to agree. I think more emphasis has...I think I have to agree. I think more emphasis has been put on reading comprehension of a single text, not connecting multiple texts on a higher thinking level, and not synthesizing information from a variety of resources. I think research projects are a good start, but often students will use a couple of resources to gather a list of facts, and then present those facts in some manner. We need to get our students to think about what they are reading, decide if it is from a reliable source, and how that information fits with other information they have gathered. It's moving kids away from copying facts to really putting it into their own words and thoughts. It is definitely going to be difficult!<br />On a related note of students determining if a source is reliable, often times students think if it is on the Internet then it must be true! As adults we know this isn't the case. I took a poll of my 3rd graders to see if they thought information on the Internet was true, and of course they did. So I gave my 3rd graders a project to research the elusive tree octopus.....common sense had them saying there is no way an octopus can live in a tree, but after 10 minutes of reading the website, they were believers :) It was a great teaching moment.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05159699370231218889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599666081241759888.post-57969176934896348702013-06-10T15:27:54.323-06:002013-06-10T15:27:54.323-06:00@Mr. Hughes- I feel the same way! When I taught 3r...@Mr. Hughes- I feel the same way! When I taught 3rd grade 2 years ago, I had students who were reading on a Fountas and PInnell level Z, which is middle school. I had a HUGE issue with finding books that were on their reading level but appropriate content for them. They needed that challenge, but there were so few books that I felt were OK for them to read. <br />I agree in hoping that there will be more authors who begin to write more rigorous level texts at an appropriate level for younger kids.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05159699370231218889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599666081241759888.post-11486513324063019412013-06-10T06:00:07.267-06:002013-06-10T06:00:07.267-06:00What are your feelings about those struggling read...What are your feelings about those struggling readers that now must read harder and more complex texts? As a first grade teacher knowing what will now be expected of 2nd graders is very troubling. Lesrning how to read is developmental and does not occur in cookie cutter shapes. Remember when you were in college and had to take child development classes? There are clinical reasons to how the brain acquires reading skills, knowledge and social skills. Just because ccss wants early elementary to be more "rigorous" doesn't mean its age or developmentally appropriate. For example, My son just turned 7 yesterday and will be going to 2nd grade. Many of his peers are a full 10 months older due to the cut off date for our district. This puts him at a disadvantage when being compared to his peers because many are actually more advanced simply because they are a year older.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00227670320561804849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599666081241759888.post-64609523836679880122013-06-10T05:29:51.556-06:002013-06-10T05:29:51.556-06:00This is the one that concerns me the most. I have ...This is the one that concerns me the most. I have many, many books at the right "level", but the content of a majority of those books is NOT appropriate for 6th graders. Granted, in today's world, where many of my students are watching rated R movies and such, it wouldn't shock them too much, but I don't feel comfortable having them read books with strong language, etc. I hope publishers and authors will step up and help us have good quality reading materials that are a step up all the way around!Mr. Hugheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06426578721128357285noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599666081241759888.post-79386334624484550612013-06-10T04:55:12.364-06:002013-06-10T04:55:12.364-06:00Other thoughts/points/questions to discuss?Other thoughts/points/questions to discuss?Mr. Hugheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06426578721128357285noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599666081241759888.post-90427692819962563772013-06-10T04:54:49.122-06:002013-06-10T04:54:49.122-06:00Did you learn anything new about the CCSS from thi...Did you learn anything new about the CCSS from this section?Mr. Hugheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06426578721128357285noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599666081241759888.post-19002506596690467942013-06-10T04:54:07.448-06:002013-06-10T04:54:07.448-06:00What is your understanding of your states view of ...What is your understanding of your states view of the CCSS? Do they view them as the curriculum or simply a guide to help better teach the current content?Mr. Hugheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06426578721128357285noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599666081241759888.post-83280582722262808412013-06-10T04:53:40.691-06:002013-06-10T04:53:40.691-06:00What are your thoughts about finding grade appropr...What are your thoughts about finding grade appropriate texts that match the new, more rigorous reading levels?Mr. Hugheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06426578721128357285noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599666081241759888.post-72636155240132111122013-06-10T04:53:13.278-06:002013-06-10T04:53:13.278-06:00What are your feelings about those struggling read...What are your feelings about those struggling readers that now must read harder and more complex texts?Mr. Hugheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06426578721128357285noreply@blogger.com