Happy Friday, everyone!
It's that early March accountability check - how are you doing on staying grounded in your "why"? This quote above resonated with me - do you really believe in all? I keep thinking of Jimmy Casas's picture of Sandra Bullock at the beginning of the year vs February. Remember how put together she was in September - and frazzled in February. I believe this happens with our beliefs in kids, too. Are we still saying respectful, student-first language? Or, have we given up on some? I want you to take some time to reflect on this question as we enter into the next few weeks before spring break. If you have "lost your way", how can you find your way back to those beginning of the year beliefs?
Supporting Students with Engagement and Motivation in Reading (PLEASE READ!)
Guest Blogger - Libby Zeman
The topic of reading engagement has come up in several grade levels. I was asked to create a bank of strategies that people could pull from to try with some students. While I am happy to do this, and there are things out there, I also think it is important to look at ways that we foster the love of reading. This article from The Reading Teacher is on building reading habits (about an 8 minute read), and it reminded me of the importance of authentic literacy tasks. How can we get kids reading about and responding to things in a relevant way for them. This reminds me of all of our STEAM work with integration and real world problems that we have done. Are things coming up in IRA or GR texts that get kids excited about digging into some real world things? Could they then read some articles and respond by creating a short presentation or letter to be sent to someone in the community?
Because every scholar is different, one strategy will probably not be effective for all students. It’s essential that we keep trying until we find the ticket for each student. With high expectations and the belief that they really can (and will) be engaged in text with the appropriate support, they will be engaged! The following is a list of strategies that I have compiled from various individuals and sources; if you have other ideas, I’d love to add them to our list!
Strategy
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Gist
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Source
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Use technology for response
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Students could write or record a response in Google Classroom, Flipgrid, Seesaw, etc.
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Various teachers at McK
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Digital Reading
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Students can read or listen to text and answer questions.
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Confer with students
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Independent reading is most effective when students are being checked on and held accountable for their reading.
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*F&P
*Fisher/Frey
*Jennifer Serevallo
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Use Reading Logs
(Reading Log Rate Reflection)
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Have students record and track their reading (this makes conferring way more efficient too).
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Reading Strategies Book (Serevallo) page 65
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Vary the Length or Type of Text (“Break Reads”
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Students set goals in their books and then get to read something else once they hit those goals. For example, in a novel student reads 7 pages and then they get to read a World Record book or a graphic novel for a few minutes.
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Reading Strategies Book (Serevallo) page 49
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Set a Timed Goal
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Similar to the Break Reads, but this one goes off of time (when the timer goes off you get a break).
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Reading Strategies Book (Serevallo) page 55
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Party Ladder
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Set small goals and work your way up the ladder as you accomplish each goal. When you get to the top, it’s a party (break). You could even laminate these so you could adjust the tasks without redrawing the ladder each time.
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Reading Strategies Book (Serevallo) page 57
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Choose Books with your Identity in Mind
(Find Reading Territories)
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Coaching kids to see themselves as a reader with an identity helps them to go to the library and think, “I’m a reader who enjoys __________, so I think this book would be engaging for me.”
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Reading Strategies Book (Serevallo) page 63
Reading Strategies Book (Serevallo) page 66
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Buzz About Books
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Getting kids talking about and recommending books for peers can be very engaging!
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Reading Strategies Book (Serevallo) page 69
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Book Tastings
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Have kids read little bits of many books and talk about which ones they might like to check out and read.
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Teams here have done this (I can’t recall where it is from).
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Increasing Academic Motivation
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This is a list of various things to increase student motivation (ie. social interaction, offering choice, etc.). This is not reading specific, but the principles could be applied.
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Communicate home
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Let students know this is so important that we will need regular communication home about engagement. Be sure to follow up with the positive too!
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Celebrate those who are on task
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Find those who are on task and celebrate them with a leadership slip, positive office referral, good news call, note home, etc.
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PBIS
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Engagement Self Reflection
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Have students reflect periodically throughout the independent time about if they are or are not on task. Noticing the behavior is sometimes all it takes for students. Setting a class goal could help here.
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Regularly review anchor charts on Independent Reading and choosing books
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We know we need to continue to reteach behaviors just as we do academic content. Keep these anchor charts up & refer to them often.
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Reading Minilessons (F&P)
PBIS
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Friday Choice Time
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Make up the time lost during Friday Choice Time.
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Caring School Communities
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Relationships
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Kids work for teachers who they have a positive relationship established with.
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Casas, Haddie...
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*Remember, I am happy to come in and take an inventory on engagement. That will help you to see who is engaged and who needs some specific support in this area.
BrightBytes Survey- Grades 3-5:
Just a reminder - this survey should be completed next week. Mark this in your calendars, send a reminder, use a post-it note, whatever you need to do. We need these surveys completed.
IDEATank - Gopher Sport:
Gopher Sport is offering a PD around STEAM - see the details below!
Building Weekly Newsletter:
Click here to access the building weekly newsletter
Have a great weekend, everyone! Enjoy the heatwave!
-Justin
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