Word Nerds: Intro & Ch. 1

So, I've had this book for waaaaay to long to not have read it. When Ms. Leslie Ann from Life in Fifth Grade mentioned that she was going to do a mini book study on it, I knew I had to read it, too! So... I went to my classroom and dug it out of the pile of resources stacked high for waxing. Ms. Leslie Ann shared her thoughtS for the introduction and chapter 1 that you can find here. Now I'm going to share my own!

A lot of the things that were mentioned in the introduction and chapter 1 were things I already knew. However, there were some things that caught my attention!

The introduction just really set the stage for the remainder of the book. It gives us a background about the teacher and the classroom we will be looking at. Even though I was already familiar with most of the ideas mentioned in chapter 1, I loved the research! As teachers, we should always have research to back up what we are doing in our own classrooms. Here are some I thought were note worthy!

Perhaps the most meaningful idea from this chapter is what words to teach. Have you ever heard of the three tiers of vocabulary? This is something I already knew but didn't use that much in my classroom. I am definitely going to make more of an effort to really use this in my instruction this year. Here's what the three tiers are and which words you should be teaching in your classroom!

Jen Jones from Hello Literacy has an awesome free resource for visual learners! You can download it here.

Here are a few other things that seemed to be of importance to me. Most of these were numbered under the heading Research Reveals the Right Approach.

• Students have to learn words at more than one level
• Students must experience words multiple times (no more study list, define, vocabulary quiz, forget it)
• When students learn words they build 'word schema' which is beneficial for defining words in context
• Students can build their vocabulary through reading
• Students can learn words through conversation
• Students can learn words through word play (and it's fun!)
• Students need direct vocabulary instruction
• Most students need word-learning strategies (a variety of them) to become better readers

Here are a few things I'm guilty of... I assumed 5th graders knew how to decode the meaning of a word in context. Now I have realized that they will need direct instruction on how to do this. This is such a useful skill, y'all! By using context, you can understand almost any word! The #1 thing I'm guilty of.... not using the same vocabulary in all my classes. Sometimes I find myself using simple language in my Co-teaching special needs class. This is a NO, NO! If students don't understand, you should help them so they can. 

I am doing really well at my advanced class' vocabulary instruction. We focus on parts of words (prefix, suffix, roots). Do we have a quiz? YEP! But I also see and hear them using past words in their conversations and parts of words to help with meaning of other words. It's great!

I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes from chapter 1!

Reading Strategies That Work

Do you remember the feeling you get when you find a PD book that totally grabs you in? Everything on the pages are highlighted and there are stickies everywhere with notes because it is just.that.good?

The last time I felt this way was when I read a close reading book a few years ago.

Well, have you read this book yet?

Available on Amazon.com

It is SOOO good! In fact, it's so good that I am planning on sharing some great take-aways that I've had while reading it. Right now I'm still digging in so it will be a little while. I'm thinking maybe a summer series? Keep looking for it because it's coming! Grab your copy if you'd like to join in with ideas! I'd love to hear some take-aways you have!

Differentiating Book Study, Part 1, Chapter 2

It's that time again.  Time for a check-up on the book study.  I'm actually thankful for this book study because it holds me accountable for actually reading and reflecting upon this book.  How many of use start a book, and we know it's good, but we end up not finishing it.... I'm guilty here.  I guess you could say  that grad school ruined me of book reading.  

Chapter 2 had a HUGE focus on getting to know your students so you can better instruct them.  You should know your students academically and how they learn best.  But how can we do this?  You can start by looking at past grades, test grades, and big assessment scores.  Focus on grades and assessment scores.  These two should align with one another.  If they don't then there is a discrepancy somewhere that should be evaluated and addressed {not meaning special education placement here.. only that maybe they are not great test takers.}  

• Create an academic profile for each child you teach.  Add to the profile as you get to know the student better.  Just because you complete a student profile the first few weeks of school doesn't mean that you can't go back and adjust the content.

There is a {HUGE} emphasis on Gardner's multiple intelligences.  Become acquainted with them, know what they mean, and actually use them so you can add variety to your teaching and the ability to reach all your learners.  There are many ways you can do this.  Heacox even has several examples in her text.

• Interest Inventories
• Personality Tests
• Learning Style Tests

If you give any of these assessments to better understand your students... actually use the information.  Don't just sit on the knowledge of how your students learn best without using that information to their advantage {and yours too because they will be successful if you deliver instruction in a way that they learn best.}  One way that you could do this is by having a designated spot on your wall {or bulletin board} that has all the different learning styles as headers.  As students learn their learning style, have them decorate an index card with their name on it front and center.  Have them place their name under the learning style that they are.  This way, you have a visual all year long of what your students' learning styles are.

I really liked when she briefly discussed conferences that you could have with parents to help you understand your students better.  She included some sample questions that you could ask that I found useful.  

If you are unable to get your parents in at an appropriate time, you could always have them write a letter to you during the first week of school.  Sometimes some of the most valuable information we could get about our students will come from their family.  

In chapter 3, Heacox will discuss What Do You Teach?: Essential questions, curriculum mapping, and planning a unit.  Stay tuned... it is getting deep ;-)

Differentiating Book Study, Part 1, Chapter 1

YAY!  I'm so excited to share this professional learning book with my readers.  If you have it and are reading it with me... that's just awesome!  I would love for you to post your own ideas on your blog and leave a link back to my blog.  If you do post on your blog, please leave a link to your post in the comment section below.  I would love to read what you have to say!  Or, if you don't have a blog, feel free to comment with your ideas.  Either way, I hope you all get great use out of the things I find useful from the text.  I will be posting my chapter summary as well connections every Saturday morning for you.  Read now or pin to read later!

I don't know about you, but the first page of chapter one made me have an aha! moment when Heacox explained what differentiation is.  I wanted to share this with you because I feel it is so important to teachers.  Often times, I feel a lot of teachers want to differentiate but they are unsure how.  She really put it out there.. plain and simple.  

I absolutely love the examples that Heacox gives on pages 5-6.  I think we can all relate to at least one of these teachers.  I know at one time I thought I was differentiating instruction for my students, but all alone I was "fluffing" to try to differentiate.  The truth is, I really had no idea what I was doing.  Differentiation is so important to me that I have spent many hours reading professional books on how to do it correctly.  I have come to the honest conclusion that you really have to dive into it and try it.  If you don't practice, keep what works, and toss what doesn't, you will never know what works for you.

I just love that quote from the text because it is sooo true!

Here are some other things I took away from the text that I thought were important.

• On pre-tests, students who mastered a skill should be given activities that involve that skill while others are being re-taught.
• Differentiation is a two-step process:
• Analyze current plans for the degree of challenge.
• Modify, adapt, or design new approaches in response to student needs, interests, and preference.
• Learning Styles:
• Boys are strong in math, struggle in reading.  They prefer action and exploration and benefit from regular physical activity.  They are essentially better at hands-on learning.
• Girls learn better from a variety of methods.  They enjoy manipulatives and asking questions.  They do better when learning with partners or collaborative groups.
• When differentiating, it is important to remember that gifted and talented students learn in 1/3 the time than their average learning peers.

Many people believe they are differentiating when they really aren't or they are unaware that they are differentiating.  You may not know it but you differentiate when you pre-assess students' skills and base their learning on those assessments, give choices to your students, and provide basic and advanced resources for your struggling and excelling learners.  However, differentiated instruction should involve modifications in one or more of these areas: content, process, and product.

There were so many wonderful points made in this chapter that I could sit here for hours.  I do thank you for staying with me until the end.  I do want to leave you with a profound quote from page. 14.  In order to differentiate learning, you really have to be in it for the kids.  It's a lot of hard work that I promise will pay off.

Couldn't have said it better myself!

So, what are some things that you loved about chapter 1?  What are some connections you made?

Differentiating Instruction Book Study

Hey ya'll!  I have been reading Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom by Diane Heacox for some time now.  Actually... I just love all the information the book has.  It's such a great read.  If you have never heard of it, you should check it out.  So, I wanted share what the ideas presented with my readers because it has great and useful information that any teacher should use in their classroom.  Several of the ideas in the first few chapters are good practices that all great teachers use.  However, it is always nice to get a reminder every now and then.  So, Each week I will be posting a summary of each chapter along with some connections I made with the text.  I know it's a crazy time of year to do a book study, but I am all done with state testing so work is not so stressful for me anymore.  If you would like to purchase a book and read along.. great!  If not, then you can use the information I present to decide if it is something you would be interested in.  I'm also wanting to do this so I can have a reminder of these practices on my blog.  You can find all the posts on the Find It Fast section of my sidebar.  Just click on the Book Study link.

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