Using blogs and wikies in the classroom

Check out this thought provoking, it'll sure be a conversation starter between pro-tech teachers and the ones that oppose it.

Literature Review

Abstract:

Many students are retained at the early primary grades because they fail to read on grade level. This is especially true in students going from 2nd to 3rd grade. Students leaving the 2nd grade must be reading at a level 28, this is to ensure that the student would be capable of passing the 3rd grade TAKS reading test. There is not a win-win situation here, they can either fail 2nd grade for not reading on level or fail 3rd grade for not passing the TAKS.

In my first year as a classroom teacher I was faced with a challenge that I was not able to meet. Andrea was a nine-year-old student in my 2nd grade class. She had been retained twice, once in kindergarten and she was currently repeating 2nd grade. Still Andrea was not at the top of the class; it seemed as if her social inadequacy –being that she was older than most her classmates- only made her feel inferior and this reflected in her academic achievement. Many questions where left unanswered, as I remember her today I ask myself, what could I have done differently? Where did I go wrong? In this review of the literature the focus would be in the effects of retention and does it truly improve later school achievement and ability, (i.e. literacy development)? Also as a secondary focus, how social promotion benefits students and how computer technology can assist in the development of early literacy? From reviewing these literature I have found partial answers to some of my questions but most importantly the knowledge to know what to do if faced with a similar situation in the future.

Effects of retention and does it truly improve later school achievement and ability: a brief look at social promotion and computer technology as a means to decrease the number of retainees.

Sugey Villarreal

Retention:
Retention means that a child who has spent a full school year in a particular grade must repeat the entire grade just completed (Westbury, 1994). Is this practice of holding back students the best we can do as educators? Many students would conclude that retention is ineffective for improving achievements and ability (Westbury 1994). In a longitudinal study of the effects of retention/promotion on academic achievement Peterson, DeGracie and Ayabe (1987) explained that: “One of the reasons typically offered as an explanation for the failure of retention to improve academic achievement is that students are often retained in programs that were not beneficial to the student because no specific educational plan has been developed”. I can personally attest to this fact, I was never given a plan of action or intervention to work with Andrea. I found myself piecing together the bits and pieces from the already limited information that was accessible to me. She did not perform well on tests and that was surprising to me but the research gave me an insight -their test scores do not improve as a result of promotion,- “retained children appear to score, at best, no better than comparison groups of continually promoted children” (Westbury 1994). Other studies asserted that it may seem as if the students catch up but that this is only in the short-term; in the long-run this progress diminishes. A study of the students in the Mesa Public School System showed that although, “students who were retained would outperform their promoted counterparts on achievement tests in Reading and Language in the first year following retention…these differences were not found on third grade retainees (Peterson, DeGracie and Ayabe, 1987).

Another study addressed the issue that retention was most beneficial in the earlier grades because it improved literacy development but it failed to address the negative effects of retention no matter how early it is done. The same article agrees that retention after the fourth grade was highly ineffective (Pomplun 1988). A study by Manset-Williamson et al. (2002) reports that: “Fewer students may be failing at reading in these programs that include explicit skills or lower order skills (use of worksheets, basals, etc.) this is confirmed by the passing rates on the language arts test. Conversely, explicit skill instruction is positively associated with retention rates.” On the other hand, the greater the focus on holistic skills (higher order cognitive skills) the lower the rate of student retention. In my experience students benefit more from holistic instruction but more research needs to be done to design a balanced literacy program.

Social Promotion:

New research needs to be developed in relation to social promotion and its benefits. Policymakers are most opposed than ever to this practice, in spite of the fact that there are students that show that there is little harm resulting from this practice (Frey, 2005). Andrea would have benefited from being promoted to the third grade because of her age as one study affirms: “When compared to socially promoted pupils, retained students show both poorer academic results and inferior personal adjustment” (Westbury, 1994). Do we want to cripple our already struggling students by giving them an inferiority complex? I am not suggesting that this be used as an excuse but rather as a means to look deeper into what we can do to better address retention and suggest new alternatives.

How can technology help students in acquiring literacy skills to prevent possible retention:

The use of technology alone does not guarantee the improvement in acquiring literacy skills but the integration of computer base programs as well as other kind of literacies into the classroom can probe to be an effective match. The use of a software program in a study suggests that: “This general concept of using computer technology as scaffolding to assist the process of learning can be traced to Vygotsky’s notions (1986, 1978) ‘zone of proximal development’ and ‘social reconstruction of knowledge’ (Fasting and Halaas Lyster, 2005). A student from the preceding study was quoted stating that: “I could do my ordinary school work/homework in the MultiFunk sessions.” This assertion by the student proves that students are willing to/and want to learn if given the proper tools. Students such as Andrea would have benefited from this technology and from the scaffolding that it offers in addition to that provided by the classroom teacher.

Conclusion:

The available research that supports retention is not conclusive by any means, it rather lends itself to provide more questions that are left unanswered. There is no one single research that concludes that it is more beneficial to retain students than to socially promote them. On the other hand there is very little proof that social promotion can harm students, research kind of suggests that it may indeed be beneficial, especially for those students of lower economic status areas. It has also been suggested that: “social promotion with remediation may be more effective than retention with remediation” (Peterson, DeGracie and Ayabe, 1987). However, social promotion is not an answer in itself; it needs to be paired with other successful plans and/or strategies. Just passing a student does not guarantee that their literacy skills would improve as retaining them does not guarantee that their deficiencies would be corrected. If we want to keep implementing retention as a means to remediate deficient literacy skills we must ensure the success of our students. As Westbury (1994) stated in her study: “Educators must seek alternatives to grade repetition that correct learning problems early…Some recent remediation programs that focus on individual tutoring for lower achievers while keeping students with their grade peers have proven successful” (D. Armstrong, personal communication, 17 March 1992).

References:

Fasting, Rolf B., & Halaas Lyster, Solveig-Alma (2005). The effects of computer
technology in assisting the development of literacy in young struggling readers
and spellers. European Journal of Special Needs Education, Vol. 20, No. 1, 21-
40. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.

Frey, Nancy (2005). Retention, Social Promotion, and Academic Redshirting: What Do
We Know and Need to Know? Remedial and Special Education, Vol. 26, No. 6, 332-
46. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.

Jackson, Gregg B. (1975). The Research Evidence on the Effects of Grade Retention.
Review of Educational Research, Vol. 45, No. 4, 613-635. Retrieved from JSTOR
database 31 July 2007.

Manset-Williamson, Genevieve, St. John, Edward, Hu, Shouping & Gordon, David
(2002). Early Literacy Practices as Predictors of Reading Related Outcomes:
Test Scores, Test Passing Rates, Retention, and Special Education Referral.
Exceptionality 10(1), 11-28. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.

Peterson, Sarah E., DeGracie, James S., & Ayabe, Carol R. (1987). A longitudinal
Study of the Effects of Retention/Promotion on Academic Achievement. American
Educational Research Journal, Vol 24, No. 1, 107-18. Retrieved from JSTOR
database 31 July 2007.

Pomplun, Mark (1988). Retention: The Earlier, the Better? Journal of Educational
Research, Vol. 81, No. 5, 281-87. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.

Westbury, Marilyn (1994). The Effect of Elementary Grade Retention and Subsequent
School Achievement and Ability. Canadian Journal of Education/Revue canadienne
de l’éducation, Vol. 19, No. 3, 241-50. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July
2007.

Lit. Review Article 7

Literature Review

Article 7

APA Citation: Fasting, Rolf B., & Halaas Lyster, Solveig-Alma (2005). The effects of computer technology in assisting the development of literacy in young struggling readers and spellers. European Journal of Special Needs Education, Vol. 20, No. 1, 21-40. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.

I. Title: The effects of computer technology in assisting the development of literacy in young struggling readers and spellers.

II. Authors: Rolf B. Fasting and Solveig-Alma Halaas Lyster

III. Author’s Purpose for Writing: To evaluate the effect of MultiFunk, a computer program designed to assist reading, on the reading and spelling proficiency of struggling readers.

IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they support the need for the study?

V. Author’s Inquiry Question: Does the MultiFunk computer software show effects on reading and spelling development in a group of struggling readers and spellers?

VI.
A. Author’s methodology: A pre-test-intervention-post-test, control-group design was used to evaluate the effects of the software, using texts to suit the pupil’s own choices and interests.

B. Who is being studied? Fifty-two below average readers and spellers, in grades 5, 6 and 7. In addition, 114 classmates, who read normally, were included.

C. Over what length of time? Not specified.

D. What data is being collected? Results from the use of MultiFunk

VII. How the author collected information: From the log file that recorded pupils’ use of MultiFunk, two reading tests and a spelling test
VIII. What the author discovered: The findings indicate that computerized assistive reading has the potential to aid and support the development of basic literacy skills in a broad group of struggling readers and spellers.

Lit. Review Article 6

Literature Review

Article 6

APA Citation: Frey, Nancy (2005). Retention, Social Promotion, and Academic Redshirting: What Do We Know and Need to Know? Remedial and Special Education, Vol. 26, No. 6, 332-46. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.

I. Title: Retention, Social Promotion, and Academic Redshirting: What Do We Know and Need to Know?

II. Author: Nancy Frey

III. Author’s Purpose for Writing: To examine the research on the effectiveness of retention and other responses, including social promotion, and the growing parental practice of “academic redshirting” of children by delaying their entry into kindergarten.

IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they support the need for the study? Social promotion has grown less acceptable to policymakers, even as the few studies conducted have shown little harm resulting from the practice. What is clear is that students that have been retained…are more likely to drop out of school…Despite these dire outcomes, the rates of retention have continued to rise the past decade.

V. Author’s Inquiry Question: What do we know and need to know about retention, social promotion, and academic redshirting?

VI.
A. Author’s methodology: None this is a literature review of current research on retention, social promotion, and academic redshirting.

B. Who is being studied? Students across the nation from Kindergarten through High School.

C. Over what length of time? Not specified.


VII. How the author collected information: By compiling the data provided by all the different studies that are being researched.

VIII. What the author discovered: That retention, social promotion, and academic redshirting have, at one time or another, been called “the gift of time.” Perhaps it is time to redefine this cliché. Perhaps the true “gift of time” is in the work of the educational researches who can answer the questions of teachers, administrators, and parents.

Lit. Review Article 5

Literature Review

Article 5

APA Citation: Manset-Williamson, Genevieve, St. John, Edward, Hu, Shouping & Gordon, David (2002). Early Literacy Practices as Predictors of Reading Related Outcomes: Test Scores, Test Passing Rates, Retention, and Special Education Referral. Exceptionality 10(1), 11-28. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.

I. Title: Early Literacy Practices as Predictors of Reading Related Outcomes: Test Scores, Test Passing Rates, Retention, and Special Education Referral.

II. Author: Genevieve Manset-Williamson, Edward St. John, Shouping Hu and David Gordon.

III. Author’s Purpose for Writing:

IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they support the need for the study? Rather than emphasizing explicit versus holistic skill instruction, perhaps early literacy programs should increase the frequency of activities in each of these areas, particularly in high-poverty schools.

V. Author’s Inquiry Question: Which features of model early literacy programs are associated with improvement in school-level indicators of language arts outcome?

VI.
A. Author’s methodology: The Early Literacy Survey (St. John, Manset, & Michael, 1999) was developed specifically for the research project.

B. Who is being studied? Early literacy programs for Grades K through 3 in the state of Indiana and their impact on student achievement.

C. Over what length of time? Not specified

D. What data is being collected? Results from The Early Literacy Survey

VII. How the author collected information? By compiling principal’s reports on general practice across a school program as specified by the program features described in the surveys.


VIII. What the author discovered:
•Students who attend school with higher percentage of students living in poverty score lower on state achievement tests (Linn, 2000). As a result this students are more likely to be retained, which is in itself not considered an effective intervention (Jimerson, 1999; McCoy & Reynolds, 1999).
•Explicit skill instruction is positively associated with higher retention rates(i.e., theirs is greater retention in those programs where there is a reported greater use of basal readers, worksheets and books, reading drills and phonics instruction). The structure imposed by the features of the explicit skills instruction, although associated with test score gains, may create a less adaptable environment.
•The greater the focus on holistic skills (i.e., there is less retention in those programs where there is a reported greater focus on whole texts and higher order cognitive skills, such as supporting early writing through emergent spelling activities or comprehension and reading fluency with paired reading, and teachers reading aloud to students) the lower the rate of retention. The lower retention rate suggests that less structured activities that make up the holistic skills focus may again be associated with a more adaptable environment.
•Opportunity for collaboration was also found related to lower rates of retention because it contributes to the adaptability in a classroom.
•Practices that will lead to an increase in test scores may also create an environment that encourages more grade retention.

Lit. Review Article 4

Literature Review

Article 4

APA Citation: Pomplun, Mark (1988). Retention: The Earlier, the Better? Journal of Educational Research, Vol. 81, No. 5, 281-87. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.

I. Title: Retention: The Earlier, the Better? Journal

II. Author: Mark Pomplun

III. Author’s Purpose for Writing: To show that retention is more beneficial at the primary grades.

IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they support the need for the study? Research from higher grade levels suggested, that retention does not increase academic achievement for most students. Beginning at the fourth-grade level studies have found either no significant difference between retention and promotion or differences favoring promotion.

V. Author’s Inquiry Question: Is retention most effective at the primary level especially in comparison to the secondary level?

VI.
A. Author’s methodology: He used measures of self-concept, motivation, teacher, student, and parent attitudes; and reading, language and mathematics achievement.

B. Who is being studied? Students from first, second, third, fourth, seventh, and eight grades from a semirural area of west central Florida.

C. Over what length of time? 2 years

D. What data is being collected? Results from the Self-Concept and Motivation Inventory (SCAMIN) and the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS).

VII. How the author collected information: by analyzing results from the Self-Concept and Motivation Inventory (SCAMIN) and the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS).

VIII. What the author discovered:
•Retention as an educationally effective alternative decreases in utility as grade level increases.
•Parents, teachers and students agree on these findings that are also supported by student achievement test scores.
•The results of his study certainly suggest that further research is needed to ensure that student achievement is helped by retention and that we as educators are not wasting our tax dollars on retention at the higher grade levels.

Lit. Review Article 3

Literature Review

Article 3

APA Citation: Jackson, Gregg B. (1975). The Research Evidence on the Effects of Grade Retention. Review of Educational Research, Vol. 45, No. 4, 613-635. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.

I. Title: The Research Evidence on the Effects of Grade Retention.

II. Author: Gregg B. Jackson

III. Author’s Purpose for Writing: To examine the practice of grade retention and its effects on students.

IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they support the need for the study? There is little doubt that a pupil who is having serious academic difficulties in one grade is likely to continue having difficulties if merely promoted to the next grade. What is not clear is how the mere repetition of a grade of schooling is likely to reduce these difficulties (p.614).

V. Author’s Inquiry Question: Do students who are doing poor academic work or who manifest emotional or social maladjustment in school are generally likely to benefit more from being retained in a grade than from being promoted to the next one?

VI.
A. Author’s methodology: A systematic review of the research literature on the effects of grade retention was completed.

B. Who is being studied? Other research on grade retention

C. Over what length of time? Fall of 1973

D. What data is being collected? Data collected from appropriate journal articles and books.

VII. How the author collected information: By analyzing the information found in articles and books and making cross references to other articles and books.

VIII. What the author discovered:
Three general types of analytical design prevailed in these studies:
•The most commonly used type of design compared the outcomes of students retained under normal school policies with the outcomes of students promoted under normal policies.
•The second type of design compared the outcomes of retained students before and after their retention.
•The third design was the experimental one, where each pupil in a group of potential retainees was randomly assigned to repeat a grade or to be promoted to the next one, and then a semester or more later the retained students were compared with their promoted counterparts.
One general conclusion about the effects of grade retention relative to grade promotion is clearly warranted by all the results taken as whole: There is no reliable body of evidence to indicate that grade retention is more beneficial than grade promotion for students with serious academic or adjustments difficulties.

Lit. Review Article 2

Literature Review

Article 2

APA Citation: Peterson, Sarah E., DeGracie, James S., & Ayabe, Carol R. (1987). A longitudinal Study of the Effects of Retention/Promotion on Academic Achievement. American Educational Research Journal, Vol 24, No. 1, 107-18. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.

I. Title: A longitudinal Study of the Effects of Retention/Promotion on Academic Achievement.

II. Authors: Sarah E. Peterson, James S. DeGracie and Carol R. Ayabe

III. Author’s Purpose for Writing: To examine the long-term impact of retention/promotion decisions on the academic achievement of primary grade students.

IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they support the need for the study? The researchers discovered that students who were retained would outperform their counterparts in the firs year following retention. There results are contrary to what has typically been found in other research literature. Previous research has indicated that promoted students generally perform better than retained students at the end of one year following retention.

V. Author’s Inquiry Question: How does the performance of retainees compare to the performance of non-retainees in the same year and how does performance of retainees on a given grade level test compare with the performance of non-retainees on the same grade level test?

VI.
A. Author’s methodology: The original sample was selected by identifying first-,
second-, and third- grade students who were retained at the end of the 1980-81 school year and by selecting a matched comparison group of non-retainees. The final sample included only those students who had test scores in at least one area for all 4 years.

B. Who is being studied? Primary grade students at the Mesa Public Schools

C. Over what length of time? 4 years

D. What data is being collected? Achievement test scores results in Reading, Language and Math for students retained in first, second and third grades and their matched counterparts

VII. How the author collected information: By analyzing and recording the data from the achievement test scores.

VIII. What the author discovered:
•First, retention does not have a favorable long-term impact on academic achievement of primary students as measured by relative class standing in the same year. This is especially true considering that promoted students scored nearly as well as retained students by the third year after retention, but they were taking a test that was one grade level higher than the retained students and thus were answering questions concerning more advanced material.
•A second point that should be considered is that although they failed to find convincing evidence that retention is beneficial, in terms of same-year comparisons, their results do not seem to indicate that retention is harmful academically as other studies have found.
•In terms of same-grade comparisons, evidence was found that second- and third-graders gain more than non-retainees, even though they are delayed a year in doing so. The fact that this effect was found for second- and third-graders retainees, but not for first-grade retainees, is somewhat surprising. Past research has generally shown that it is best to retain students as early as possible if retention is to occur.
•Finally, there is more evidence that social promotion with remediation may be more effective than retention with remediation. Based on Leinhardt’s (1980) results, one promising option would be the use of individualized educational plans in conjunction with social promotion.

Lit. Review Article 1

Literature Review

Article 1

APA Citation: Westbury, Marilyn (1994). The Effect of Elementary Grade Retention and Subsequent School Achievement and Ability. Canadian Journal of Education/Revue canadienne de l’éducation, Vol. 19, No. 3, 241-50. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.

I. Title: The Effect of Elementary Grade Retention and Subsequent School Achievement and Ability

II. Author: Marilyn Westbury

III. Author’s Purpose for Writing: The prime objective of the researcher is to ascertain whether lower achieving students who were retained once in elementary school perform as well on subsequent achievement and ability tests as a matched group of students who where continually promoted.

IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they support the need for the study?
• The author concluded that grade retention was ineffective for improving achievement and ability (p.241).
• Retained children appear to score, at best, no better than comparison groups of continually promoted children (p.242).
• When comparing to socially promoted pupils, retained students show both poorer academic results and inferior personal adjustment. (p.242).
• Some studies suggest that occasionally there are short-term gains for students repeating a grade but that the gains diminish in the long run. Moreover, grade repeaters are more likely to drop out of school than continually promoted students (p.242).

V. Author’s Inquiry Question: What are the short-term and long-term effect of grade retention on student achievement and ability?

VI.
A. Author’s methodology:
To isolate two groups of students who are as alike as possible on all recorded variables with one exception-one group repeated one grade in elementary school and the other did not. Second, the subjects are regular program, English-speaking school children without any apparent mental, physical, or social handicaps. Both of these design parameters are important to increase the probability that differences or similarities between the two groups are attributable to failing or passing a grade

B. Who is being studied? 125 elementary school students that where one-time grade repeaters and 84 elementary school students that where continually promoted.

C. Over what length of time? Not specified

D. What data is being collected? Results of the Grade 1 Edmonton Public Schools Reading Comprehension Test, Grade 3 & 6 Canadian Cognitive Ability Test (CCAT), school district achievement test in Science, Mathematics, Social Studies and Language Arts.

VII. How the author collected information: From student record cards in various district schools.

VIII. What the author discovered: Failing a student does nothing to improve readiness on the next grade level. Educators must seek alternatives to grade repetition that correct learning problems early.

Response to passage from "Owls" by Mary Oliver

In the passage from "Owls", Mary Oliver uses various rethorical devices to convey the complexity of her response to nature. The use of imagery is prominent throughout the passage. In line 4 she use sound imagery: "...I look up at it and listen to the heavy, crisp, breathy snapping of its hooded beak. In lines 20-21 the visual image is repulsive: "...for the owl has an insatiable craving for the taste of brains." These descriptions makes the writing be so vivid that it made me feel as if the owl could appear any second and use his beak to pick my own brain.

Juxtaposition in lines 28-29 is used to emphasize their irony: "...the rolicking glory..." -the owl's contentment and fulfillment- "...death bringer..." For people death by someone elses hand is a murder to an owl it means exhilaration, the essence of its own survival. The settings are also juxtaposed to pinpoint a shift; from the cold winters and nights of the owl to the images of the author's reminiscence of summer fields of flowers. Furthermore, both accounts become parallel as the image of the flowers becomes increasingly eerie.

Bluebbonet Writing Project From Beginning to End

This is the story of how I came to find,
A very dear project that brought my writing alive
Almost didn’t make it, I think that it was faith
That I attend the Project and learn lots of new tech
Blogging, pod casting, and also voice thread
Thanks to Scott Massey we all are getting A’s

After our digital story board creations became quite and ordeal
Getting to the heart didn’t seem like a big deal
Cracked open some sentences and recorded team weather forecasts
Exploded the moment, created snapshots, thoughtshots
and shrank a century in half

Next came the teaching demos they’ve been quite a delight
So many new ideas that I’ll take back to class
The Literature Review, the culminating point
Let’s pray we get through this
And look back no more

River Legacy brought memories, that we thought were long gone
Created a multimedia presentation and had a luncheon
Inspired our guests and brought tears to their eyes
Choosing the “Road Not Taken”, indeed has its rewards

A bittersweet sensation that’s how I can describe
Jeannine’s announcement, that she was moving to Hawaii
It will be for the best and in Hilo she will teach
Other summer projects but none quite like this
For here in Texas you’ll always have
A bunch of Bluebonnets that await your return with open arms

From Elbow to Lane many strategies we’ve learned
But from Jeannine I learned to find passion in my heart
From Janelle to bring some spunk and tech into my life
And from Joyce to breath, and take it one day at a time

Dianna, Leslie, Christina, Sherry, Heather
Lourdes, Jolyn, Christine, Pat, Rediesha
Rachel, Ginny, Kia and I
We face the “Innovator’s Dilemma”
And now I must ask,
How do we personally use technology for:
communication, collaboration, community, and creativity?
Before not enough or at all
Now thanks to the Bluebonnet Writing Project
fear of technology integration is a thing of the past

Teaching Demo/Lesson Plan

Title for the lesson: A View from the Top

Adapted from: 1. Microsoft Innovative Teachers Program 2. The Adventures of Amelia the Pigeon
Illustrator: N/A Publishing Information:
1.Microsoft Partners in Learning, January 21, 2007. http://www.microsoft.com/education/aviewfromthetop.mspx?pf=true
2.NASA, April 16, 2007.
http://science.hq.nasa.gov/kids/imagers/amelia/

Title of the Book: The Armadillo from Amarillo
Written and Illustrated by: Lynne Cherry
Publishing Information: A Gulliver Green Book Hacourt Brace and Company
ISBN: 0-15-200359-2
School Level: Elementary school (5-11 years)

Goal: To write from a different point of view. Being able to see the picture from the TerraServer Web site should help inspire some creative writing.

Objectives:
The learner will:
•Be introduced to the idea of aerial photography through the story of Sasparillo the Armadillo.
•View an actual aerial photograph of their school or home.
•Explore and illustrate places around their home. They build view of their neighborhood by pulling together drawings from the class/group.
•Students then write a story about what Sasparillo the armadillo would see if he flew over their school or home.
•Illustrate what they will see from a bird’s-eye view
Write a story on a computer describing what Sasparillo the Armadillo would see if he flew over their school or house.

Prerequisite skills:
•Basic skills using Microsoft Internet Explorer
•Basic experience with Microsoft Office Word

TEKS:
§110.4. English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 2.
(1) Listening/speaking/purposes. The student listens attentively and engages actively in a variety of oral language experiences. The student is expected to:
(A) determine the purpose(s) for listening such as to get information, to solve problems, and to enjoy and appreciate (K-3);
(E) listen responsively to stories and other texts read aloud, including selections from classic and contemporary works (K-3);
(3) Listening/speaking/audiences/oral grammar. The student speaks appropriately to different audiences for different purposes and occasions.
(C) ask and answer relevant questions and make contributions in small or large group discussions (K-3)
(10) Reading/literary response. The student responds to various texts. The student is expected to:
(A) respond to stories and poems in ways that reflect understanding and interpretation in discussion (speculating, questioning) in writing, and through movement, music, art, and drama (2-3);
(B) demonstrate understanding of informational text in various ways such as through writing, illustrating, developing demonstrations, and using available technology
(2-3);
(14) Writing/purposes. The student writes for a variety of audiences and purposes, and in various forms. The student is expected to:
(A) write to record ideas and reflections (K-3);
(18) Writing/writing processes. The student selects and uses writing processes for self-initiated and assigned writing. The student is expected to:
E) use available technology for aspects of writing, including word processing, spell checking, and printing (2-3);
(19) Writing/evaluation. The student evaluates his/her own writing and the writing of others. The student is expected to:
(B) respond constructively to others' writing (1-3);
§113.4. Social Studies, Grade 2.
(5) Geography. The student uses simple geographic tools such as maps, globes, and photographs. The student is expected to:
(A) use symbols, find locations, and determine directions on maps and globes; and (6) Geography. The student understands the locations and characteristics of places and regions. The student is expected to:
(A) identify major landforms and bodies of water, including continents and oceans, on maps and globes;
(B) locate the community, Texas, the United States, and selected countries on maps and globes;
§126.2. Technology Applications, Kindergarten-Grade 2.
(1) Foundations. The student demonstrates knowledge and appropriate use of hardware components, software programs, and their connections. The student is expected to:
(A) use technology terminology appropriate to the task;
(B) start and exit programs as well as create, name, and save files;
(2) Foundations. The student uses data input skills appropriate to the task. The student is expected to:
(A) use a variety of input devices such as mouse, keyboard, disk drive, modem, voice/sound recorder, scanner, digital video, CD-ROM, or touch screen;
(C) demonstrate touch keyboarding techniques for operating the alphabetic, numeric, punctuation, and symbol keys as grade-level appropriate;
(D) produce documents at the keyboard, proofread, and correct errors; and
(E) use language skills including capitalization, punctuation, spelling, word division, and use of numbers and symbols as grade-level appropriate.
(4) Information acquisition. The student uses a variety of strategies to acquire information from electronic resources, with appropriate supervision. The student is expected to:
(A) apply keyword searches to acquire information;
(5) Information acquisition. The student acquires electronic information in a variety of formats, with appropriate supervision. The student is expected to:
(A) acquire information including text, audio, video, and graphics;

Research Supporting this Lesson:

1. “Two types of students were identified with respect to the ways they used information obtained from the Web: "Compilers" usually copied text from web sources into their own essays. They lacked adequate cognitive processing of the collected information. "Authors" created original text and scored significantly higher in posttests. A follow-up study with 133 students verified parts of the hypothesis that writing with external sources of information has epistemic effects. However, students with basic writing skills and little prior knowledge benefited most from writing tasks.”
Priemer, Burkhard; Ploog, Maria. (2007). The Influence of Text Production on Learning with the Internet. British Journal of Education Technology.

2. “Many picture books allow young children to explore important ideas and to stretch their minds far beyond rote memorization. Young children absorb knowledge at a very rapid pace. In an age of information overload, it is essential that children are taught those important thinking skills that are needed in dealing with the multitude of information they meet everyday. What better way to help children gain important thinking skills than exposure to quality literature.”
Polette, Nancy (2007). Teaching Thinking Skills with picture books. Teacher Ideas Press.

Introduction to author and/or story:
In this activity you will see your world from a new point of view—a birds-eye view from up above in the sky.

Previewing the Text:
Read the title of the book to them. Show them the pictures on the front and title pages. Review the parts of the book.

Procedures:
Engage (5 minutes)
In the story, Sasparillo wonders where on earth he is. What if Sasparillo flew around the students' neighborhood. Brainstorm: Ask the students to think about where they live and what is around their house? (Stores, schools, parks, etc.) As students individually give their answers, record them on chart paper or the board for students to see.

Explore (20 - 30 minutes)
Ask the children to imagine they are a bird flying HIGH above a place near their home/school or in their neighborhood.
1. If Sasparillo could fly above us, what do you imagine he would see? What does the top of the school look like? What does the top of your house look like?
2. There are cameras in the sky that take pictures, the name of this special cameras is a satellite. You can see the pictures online. Visit the TerraServerUSA Web site.
3. Type your home address or the school's address, and then click the Go button. Is the picture you receive what you imagined your home or school would look like from the air?
4. Think back to Sasparillo flying on the eagle’s back. What do you imagine Amelia would see if she flew over your house or school?

Reading/Writing/Drawing Connection:
Ask them to draw a picture of what they would see looking DOWN at this place. (They may draw objects from the side. Just repeat and be encouraging about drawing what they think the bird would see without giving too much information.)
Have students label and/or write a brief description of what their picture illustrates.
Write a story describing what Sasparillo would see if he flew over your house or school.

Discussion Protocol:
Have students share their pictures telling what they have drawn. Begin to tie each of the pictures together to create a neighborhood or community. You may want to take each child’s picture and place it on a bulletin board. Children can offer input on where to put each picture. The school is beside the park. The store is a near the fire station. The houses form two lines as if they were on a street. Discuss as a class where Sasparillo might go. In what order? Who would he meet?

Extension/Service Projects:
•Look at some pictures of Texas (post cards, magazine pictures, etc.) What places do the students see in the pictures? What places do they think Sasparillo would go on his next journey? Have them write about their predictions.
•With the students' input, post the pictues of Texas in the order Sasparillo might visit to create a sequel to the book.
•Students will use PowerPoint to compose a postcard featuring a Texas landmark, that includes a short letter, name, address, and postcard design and send it to a relative, friend, etc. and encourage them to visit.

Resources & Materials:
•Chart paper/chalk board/dry erase board
•Pencil and crayons/markers
•Manila Paper
•Available bulletin board or equivalent display area
•Computers
Software: Microsoft Internet Explorer, Microsoft Office Word

Assessment/Evaluation:
What the students choose to draw of their own neighborhood will provide assessment of their grasp of neighborhood features. What the students choose to include on the mural will provide a clearer understanding of a higher level of thinking by being able to connect their neighborhood to one of someone else’s (Sasparillo’s hometown of San Antonio) and recognizing similar features in the story.
Students can be assessed on the story they write describing what Sasparillo would see if he flew over their house or school.

Response to Stella Luna

07/30/07

How will I be different this year as a result of attending the Bluebonnet Writing Project?

I love teaching and I always wanted to teach. I’d always thought of all the wonderful things that I was going to be able to do with my students. Until my first year teaching, I didn’t like what was done in my team as far as teaching but I wasn’t quite sure why, I would think to myself –I know this isn’t what teaching is all about!- I had everything on the control, same routine everyday. I was comfortable what can I say and I didn’t know any better. My second year was a whole different story I met this great teacher that believed in balance literacy and hated basals and worksheets, I wasn’t at that point yet but was able to find a happy medium. Now, I feel that as far as technology and writing I’ll be able to integrate them. I will be able to bring novelty into my lessons and make the writing more authentic.

Response to ‘What do you do with a tail like that?’

07/30/07

What is your gift and how do you use it?

I’m an excellent cook. I started cooking with my mom at the tender age of 7. She had a little stool that she’ll prop next to the kitchen counter and I’ll help her to peel the garlic at first, then the onions and green peppers until I was allowed to cut the meat! At first she’d only let me cook breakfast and as I got older she finally taught me how to cook rice and beans.

Even as I grew up my dad always told my mother that the student had surpassed the master. He loves my cooking specially the spaghetti. To this day people tell me that I should open a restaurant. I love trying out new recipes; I can cook Italian, Chinese, Thai, American, Dominican and many South American and Central American recipes. If managing a restaurant wasn’t so difficult I may have become a chef.

Response to "Chicken Sunday" by Patricia Polacco

07/24/07


Is the community in “Chicken Sunday” a place you’d like to live?

I would love to live in a community like the one in the book “Chicken Sunday”. Community is much more than the geographical space where you live in. It is the people that you share that community with. A community is not a community unless there is good rapport among the neighbors, the children playing outside together. Earlier today we were having a conversation at my table about the construction of the new cowboy’s stadium. Someone at the table had lived for a long time in Arlington and felt that the building of the stadium could have an impact or even take away Arlington’s sense of community. So, what is it about a city that makes you want to reside there? It is the sense of community.

Writing to Live Chapters 3

Important points:
Different ways to integrate authentic writing into the ELA curriculum.
-Understand that discourses and literacy are social practices
-In order for children to appreciate writing they must see connections between their lives and writing.
-Multiple literacies have emerged and we should be able to integrate them into our teaching.
*Technology is the most novel of the new litereacies
-enables children to work in a nonlinear way
-a whole new language has been developed for text messaging
-in the near future the lack of a computer will
be a determinantfactor in who succeeds in school
-We learn new literacies out of need and by immersion
-Invite children to bring their literacies into the classroom.
-Literacy should be aligned with social practice, otherwise students won't be able to see the connection between school and the real world.

Personal Connections:
I've been studying English since I was 6-yrs-old along side my cousins. I got to visit the US many summers and they didn't. My English was a lot better than theirs but it wasn't until I moved to the US permanently that I figured out that, not all English was created equal, i.e. accents, slangs, idioms, etc. It wasn't until I was immersed in the American culture that this things became second nature to me and I still stuggle from time to time with regional dialects and idioms. My cousins came back recently and believe you me they know a lot of English grammar but they don't know the social aspect of the language. I can translate this experience to the classroom because so many times I've seen skills being thaught in isolation and where writing only pertains to school related subjects and there's no social aspect involved at all. Children will only want to write and will write when they are immersed not only in the grammatical rules but in the social aspect of writing.

Questions:
*Any ideas on how to bring more authenticity into the ELA curriculum?
*How can I achieve this level of writing with my students when the textbooks that I'm given (forced to use) are outdated and don't support a balanced litereacy and aren't part of an alligned curriculum?

Writing to Live Chapters 1-2

River Legacy Park

River Legacy Park Power Point

River Legacy Park

Ratiocination & Revision or Clues on the Written Draft by Joyce Armonstrong Caroll

7/17/07

Her 10 clues for coding are an excellent way to stablish a clear expectation of what they are supposed to look for while revising. They are not just changing a word but they are decoding the clues and in doing this they understand the real purpose for revising. I will definetely use this in my classroom. I know that my students will be pretty excited if I tell them ok, take out a piece that you'd like to publish but today we are going to start a game that will play during the year every time we wish to revise, we'll play detectives!!! I can imagine the puzzled look in their faces but I know they'll absolutely love it.

Response to Reading Assignments

7/16/07

The Only New Thing Under the Sun: 25 Years of the National Writing Project
By Sheridan Blau

The birth of the NWP marked a new beginning in the experimenting with new writing theories. Since its beginning the NWP has been a pioneer in the teachers teaching teachers model. This has worked not only during summer projects but most importantly has found a very prominent place when teachers go back to their campuses invigorated with their new found knowledge and sharing it with their peers. As a teacher I feel more confident in trying something out if I the presenter is a teacher. That's why the NWP works and has managed to stay around for so long. The NWP's approach is like a fresh breath of air blown right into your teaching.


Tolerating Intolerance: Resisting the Urge to Silence Student Opinion in the Writing Classroom By Sarah Rider

It took a lot of courage for Sarah Rider to write this article. I think that her sharing her personal experience allows me to look at myself and my own bias. It teaches me how to be more open minded. Letting William know how she felt was very honest but it only worked because she had been respectfull of his feelings as well. In a community of writers this kind of rapport can only be built if we allow our students to talk about what their believes and we don't judge or critizice them. This is how we grow as writers by understanding that we can agree to disagree and still give constructive criticism to one another.


Theory, Politics, Hope and Action By Carole Edelsky

How fortunate I am to live in a state that allows bilingual education. The politicians in charge of making this so called 'propositions' -more like impositions to me- don't even have a clue about education. Why is it that the future of our children is in the hands of people that haven't been in a classroom since they were in school? I wonder, if you have a toothache will you rather have a dentist or a cardiologist check you out? They are both doctors, right? So, if we have questions about education who should we turn to...teachers, will be the logical answer. To know that we are trying to obliterate children identities makes me angry. The children whose writing was used in the article are a perfect example why allowing children to preserve their culture is so important. Through language this children where able to express their voice. This is their life every day, why should we ask them to write something that's not natural to them, why should we expect them to grow up and be accepting and respectful of other's differences when they are not being given this opportunity. Do we want an America were we all think the same, sound the same and look the same? Or do we want to allow our children to grow up and be part of the quilt that this great nation is?

Life Map

Sugey's Life Map

Greek Mythology to Song

"Sisyphus's" Song to the tune of Rebecca St. James, "Better is One Day"

How nice it is to live in Corinth
Oh, Ishtmian Games
For I will kill and even betray You
For crossing Gods don't make me sad
It's just so perfect
I hope that I don't get punished

Better is one day in my courts
Better is one day in my house
Better is one day in my courts
than thousands elsewhere

One thing I want and I would do
to chain Thanatos
To stop the death from reaching Hades

Better is one day in my courts
Better is one day in my house
Better is one day in my courts
than thousands elsewhere

My eyes are red right now
I was caught by surprise
Your punishment has me on a roll
Went up and down the hill
Came right back down as if
I will always do this
I will always do this

Better is one day in my courts
Better is one day in my house
Better is one day in my courts
than thousands elsewhere

Response to the classic guitar "concierto" by Rodrigo

07/16/07

The guitar is one of my favorite instruments. Although the piece contains some other instruments the use of the guitar is what makes it work. I’ve tried to learn how to play the guitar and after a couple of weeks I was ready to give up. I had to trim my fingernails and calluses were starting to be visible on my finger tips. Right then and there I realized that there was so much more to playing the guitar that I knew. However, I just loved the idea that I could make music so I kept trying but eventually gave up. I still enjoy the sounds of the guitar. Whenever I listen to music that’s the first sound I’m able to pick up.

Flamenco and Bachata are two of my favorite types of music because of how the guitar is used; those genres wouldn’t exist without the sounds of the guitar. Also, Rock in which the electric guitar is played to the fullest.

Critical Incident

Andrea
The 8:00 o'clock bell rang, adrenaline rushed through my whole body. I felt as if tons of tiny butterflies had found their new home in my stomach. It was my first day at E.B. Wedgeworth Elementary. But it wasn't the first day of school it was the last week of October. A feeling of uncertainty suddenly hit me. What are these children going to think of me? What if they don't like me? I was all too concerned about myself. For a split second I forgot the reason why I had decided to teach, -the children-. As I managed to collect myself and looked up, I saw Andrea for the first time. She was the sweetest little girl you can ever imagine but I could have never anticipated all the baggage she carried with her. I noticed her right away. You couldn't miss her. I learned that in spite of her having beautiful dark brown wavy hair, she hated it because it wasn’t stick straight. To me her smile could light up a room but she hated it as well. I knew something wasn't right with Andrea. I started to follow her closely because something seemed odd, I couldn't quite figure it out but I was up for the challenge.

There she was 9-years old and in the 2nd grade. “How sad how miserable, nobody understood her,” she would say. It was so unfair that all the kids her age were either in 3rd grade and some in 4th grade. –“Why me, why me? “ She would ask me with a deep sadness in her trembling voice; the kind of sadness that only comes from a broken soul. I would look at her and think to myself, –there must be something I can do to comfort her-. With a glisten in my eyes from tears that were trying to creep out, gently I placed my hand on her shoulder and gave it a soft squeeze as if trying to tell her that I understood her pain, that I was there for her, that she could count on me.

Every morning as I stood by the classroom door to welcome all my students, I could observe them as they came in walking so quickly and enthusiastically as if they had bolts of energy inside of them that were ready to burst. Not Andrea. Not the first day she walked into my classroom. The day of the field trip to the “Grand Theater”. Or the last day of school. Not Andrea. Not her, not ever. At a distance I could hear the swish of a backpack dragging on the floor; I learned to recognize that distinctive sound after hearing it everyday. If you’d look at her you’d think you were watching a slow motion scene of a movie. It was as if she had her life sucked out of her and moved about as if she was carrying the burden of the entire world on her nine year old tiny shoulders.

She’d come every morning and I greeted her. She would smile and quickly cover her mouth so nobody would look at her teeth. This was just like her, very insecure to the point that she’d cry if she thought someone may have been laughing at her. Once, I gently told her -hurry sweetie, we are all waiting for you- and that was more than enough to make her burst into uncontrollable heaps of tears rolling down her cheeks as if a water dam had been cracked open. It happened so fast that I could not understand what just happened. It took me a while to figure out that my words must have triggered an unpleasant memory for her. With my sweetest smile and softest tone I apologized to her. –Sorry, was it something I said? I can assure you this won’t happen again-. She looked up and the water dam was once again the way it should be, closed. I think I saw a glimpse of a half smile on her face.

The quest began to find resources that could be of benefit to Andrea. First stop, -the counselor, Ms. Morrow- I spoke to her and she gave me some advice as to what I could do at the moment: set up a parent conference to talk about my concerns for Andrea and suggest the school counselor seat at the meeting and try to get parental consent for Andrea to visit with her and from there she’d suggest other interventions to her mother. So, basically I had to take it or leave it! As much as I wanted to do so much more my options were limited and I had to remember that I had fifteen other students that needed my attention as well.

-Piece of cake!- I thought to myself, -I know that as soon as I call this lady and she sees how concerned I am about her daughter she’d jump at the opportunity of coming in and talking to me.- Yeah, right meeting this lady would prove to be a real challenge. I tried to confer with her for at least the entire month of November and part of December; she’d never show up. We never met. I tried to speak to her because I felt it wasn’t appropriate to just send a note home to me it sounded like something along the lines of –your daughter has issues please sign this note so that she can see the school counselor- So, when we come back from the holiday break, I finally mustered up the courage and called her on the phone –better than not talking to her at all- she didn’t seem very interested in what I had to say and just told me that Andrea had always been that way, “she’s not very smart” she added. I couldn’t believe my ears –the nerve of that woman, - I thought. She finally agreed to let the counselor see her but said that she wouldn’t have the time to come and talk to the counselor herself. I sent the permission slip home, I believe about three times and by the end of January I finally got it…signed!

My concerns about Andrea were not only in regards to her social development but her academic growth as well. Academically Andrea wasn’t at the top of the class, she was repeating 2nd grade (she had also repeated kindergarten). The fact that I met Andrea three months into the school year made Andrea reluctant to trust me and made it quite difficult for me to figure her out. Sometimes I wanted to ask her previous teacher, –Why didn’t you keep her? Don’t you know that this child craves reassurance and stability and by taking her out of your class, you did quiet the opposite? Although, I never regretted having her in my class, now I understand that everything happens for a reason. She’ll go through periods where she did really well but it all depended on her mood. She was capable and could do all the work but she just fell that it would not make a difference because she had worked really hard the year before and failed anyway.

As the days passed I always tried to be affirming of her accomplishments, I made sure that she knew that her participation in class did make a difference; I encouraged her to never give up and told her that things would get better. I tried reaching out to her but I could not. I talked to her about keeping a journal in which we’d both talked to each other about anything we wanted to, weekends, family…just to get her to open up to me but to no avail. She wrote a couple of times but lost interest quickly. She was very withdrawn and was always in her own world.

I was at a lost in spite of meeting with the counselor twice a week, no change. Why was this child so withdrawn? I observed her behavior closely and took notes about her of things that I thought would help the counselor. I never saw any visible bruising so I ruled out physical abuse as a cause but I had a gut feeling that there must be something going on at home that affected her deeply. I feel bad because I wish I could have visited her at home but her mom (she didn’t have a dad) was always working. Sometimes I though that I would just drive by her house but was afraid to do so because it seemed very inappropriate.

The end of the school year was coming to a close; I felt I had lost the challenge. Not knowing what troubled Andrea so much made me feel as if I failed her as a teacher. I felt it was my duty to bring some order into the chaos that seemed to be her life. I can't say I made a difference in her life for I don't know the answer. I hope I did touch her life not for me but for her. As I remember her today I ask myself, what could I have done differently? Where did I go wrong? I wonder what’s become of her. This next school year she’s supposed to be in the 4th grade. Maybe I’ll drive up to Waxahachie and pay her a visit.

Reading Assignments Responses

07/12/07
NWP Publications

Mozartians, Beethovians, and the Teaching of Writing
"If we wish to become effective teachers of writing, we need to teach the whole person; we need to allow both the Beethovians and the Mozartians to be who they are when they write." As a teacher this quote open my eyes it is not very frequent that you hear this kind of asseveration, as a teacher this is something that I will print and have with me and pull it out whenever I forget that I'm not just a writing teacher but that I also teach to the hopes, dreams, aspirations and emotions of my students. That their writing will reflect their unique personalities that the writing process isn't a set of rules written in stone that are meant to be followed in order. That writers can be messy and still be good writers that following an orderly format is not a guarantee of succesful writing rather it can become a frustration for students. Understanding that students writing abilities are different will allow me as a teacher to -teach the whole person.-

Skeletons Out of the Closet: The Case of the Missing 162%
Revision is one of the most difficult things to teach. The majority of my students just recopy their final drafts they don't use the comments they get when doing peer revision or from our conferences. This strategy provides a visual aid into the abstract concept of revising.

Getting Real: Authenticity in Writing Prompts
Whenever I assigned writing homework I relied on a lists of prompts that was given to me by another teacher. Every time I, hesitantly wrote them on the board and always felt the need to explain to my students what they meant in order to give them a clue what to write about. Now I know why, I wasn't really giving my students an audience or a purpose to write. Although they may not get to send their published pieces to their intended audience; giving them 'authentic prompts' will enable them to develop their voice.

The Parallel Universes of Theory and Practice: One Teacher's Journey
Beverly Paesano's dilemma hit home with me. I can completely relate to her dissapointment. As a 1st-year-2nd grade teacher I felt disappointment in my teaching
specially when it came to teaching writing. Working with 7 other teachers that had been teaching between 10-25 years, I felt that I had to follow their leads. The usual skill/drill/worksheet approach. It was a comfortable situation because I was in control but I knew that teaching had to be more than that. Mind you I was a blank slate coming from an alternative certification program with non-education degree. Then last year I was offered a 4th grade position and I knew I was in for a challenge. My team leader who had only been teaching 3 years prior, two other first year teachers and thankfully my bilingual counterpart that had been a teacher for 9 years. It really wasnn't the number of years under their belts but their approach to teaching writing. Everything the team leader said the other two did. We pretended to plan together and then I'll follow on footsteps. She didn't believe in woksheets or teaching skills in isolation she didn't teach spelling but rather word study. I was intrigued and felt that I had found the answer to my prayers. Our classrooms and bulettin boards bloomed with writing responses, published work, probes you name it. My kiddos were exciting about writing they trully enjoyed it. They had for the first time become young authors, illustrators and publishers.

Team Weather Forecasts

07/12/07

Cumulus Chicks Forecast


Yesterday’s Forecast:
The morning was gray, overcast with approaching storm clouds. 40% chance of precipitation, umbrella recommended. By midmorning the clouds dissipated. By the afternoon we had clear skies and 95F weather.
Approaching thunder storms in the evening, high ozone, high mold count and medium visibility.

Today’s Forecast:
Low pressure system caught between 2 high pressure systems in the am. 80% chance of precipitation & storms. By early afternoon, storms dissipate and clear skies expected. Light winds of 10 mph. Low ozone and high mold count and medium visibility.

Response to Reading Assignments

07/11/07

Becoming Your Own Expert-Teachers as Writers
This article makes an obvious point: How do we expect to be writing teacher's if writing isn't part of our life? I guess the point isn't obvious enough because I personally can say I didn't write that often with my students, I didn't put myself in their shoes? How can I expect to become good at anything if I don't practice it myself. I guess the old cliche can be applied here 'practice makes perfect'....Well, maybe not perfect but it will allow me to discover my strengths and weaknesses as a writer. I will allow me to draw real life experience into my teaching but most of all it will help me be a practicing writing teacher.

"Whose Writing is it Anyway"? Kids Love To Write...Don't Wait Until They Read
Children are writing before they read. We always hear that we must teach the children to read first if we want them to be better writers. As the points made in this article hold to be true. I can further add by talking about my 27-month-old son Elías and his attitude about writing. He loves it! My little boy is still developing his vocabulary yet you give him pencil and paper and he can write, really scribbles in his case but he can read it back to you. The thing he likes to write the most are name of the people and things that he likes the most. He will hold out the Shrek, Incredibles, Veggie Tales DVD's and trace his little fingers under the titles and he'll read them to you. Yes it's environmental print but he goes back and 'writes" on paper about all this things. His handwriting is just scribbles for now but pretty soon he'll be writing his name even before he can read a book on his own. He'll rather stick to his own stories.

Computers and English: Future Tense...Future Perfect
Stephen Marcus was truly a visionary in his time. If he was still alive today he'll be able to see that many of his 'prophecies' have become a reality. The integration of technology in the writing process and the emphasis in writing being a process not a product. The deterioration of hadnwriting and how schools don't teach it anymore. The lack of interest in students to write assignments without the aid of spell check. Technology as a means to resurrecting the art of writing is great. It may not be writing in the way our ancestors know it but it is writing nonetheless. We have been able to achieve things that they could have only dreamed off. Wikipedia comes to mind as a successful example of innovative cooperative writing.

Response to Bluebonnets contribution to supporting people affected by Hurricane Katrina.

07/11/07

It was awesome to learn that the BWP has such a dedicated team of professionals that know the importance of giving back in time of need. Most of us were affected in one way or another by Huricane Katrina but the ability to cope is what got us through. The lessons were excellent and the books chosen to model this lessons really help the children to put into perspective what they went through. Writing is such a liberating form of expression that it enabled this children to write off some of the burden they carried with them.

Response to "Pick an Item from your Purse"

07/11/07

My Lauren by Ralph Lauren Black Leather Wallet:

My love for purses and wallets developed at the tender age of 14. I was always looking for something that will stand out. I never did care it matched my outfit or not! Before this black wallet I had a red DKNY wallet that I deeply liked. Until...one day I saw it. It was the most beautiful wallet in the entire world. It was a magic moment as if I could hear the wallet softly whispering and calling my name...Sugeeeeey. I was taken aback, I was in awe. Of course, there was only one problem; I found the wallet while secretly rummaging through my mother’s closet. I was not allowed in my parents’ bedroom unless they were in the room; so now how will I be able to have the wallet that I wasn’t even supposed to see? When I saw my mom get home she automatically knew I was up to something. She gave me this very suspicious look and I felt as if she could see my thoughts and knew what I’ve done. Oh...the agony, I couldn’t wait anymore to be with my precious. As I close my eyes I could see myself holding the wallet in my hands, the supple leather, that new smell.

Teacher as Researcher

07/10/07

The Teacher as Researcher
The article makes an excellent point on how educational research is/was conducted. We as educators cannot complain about the inaccuracy and uselessness of available research. We must take a stand and as Marian Mohr did, conduct our own research. I personally think that if we kept a journal (as suggested in the article) we could learn so much more about the way students learn rather than trying to make fancier lessons. It doesn’t matter how fancy a lesson is, if we are not keeping our students engaged. By learning how students learn we are able to incorporate those techniques and not just be a teacher but a student as well. Although this article was published 27 years ago it still resounds as an undeniable truth. We as teachers must take research into our own hands and perhaps some day we’ll be able to publish what we’ve learned from our journaling.

Response to "Thank you, Mr. Falker"

07/10/07

Response:

Student 1
Last year was my first year teaching 4th Grade it was a big challenge for me as a new teacher but also as everyone told me I had a low class. Out of 16 students only 3 were reading on grade level at the beginning of the year. The rest were reading between one t0 3 levels behind. I rigorously started to focus on Guided Reading Fluency and Read Alouds.

All the children show some kind of progress except for one. He had been previously retained in 3rd grade and was the oldest in my class and had dyslexia but was not receiving services because of a parent denial. If you’d take a look at him you’d never had guess because his physical appearance said other wise. He was the shortest, thinnest and had a very small voice almost like a whisper.

Besides his academic challenge his behavior was an issue he acted as the older child he was so he’ll always get in trouble because of his enhanced sexual awareness. I was able to get him into the counseling and mentoring programs that we have at school and started to change his behavior. By the end of the year not only was he reading on grade level but he became a very responsible and positive example to many others in our classroom. His ultimate achievement was that in spite of a non-existent parental support he was able to pass the Math. Reading and Writing 4th Grade regular TAKS test!!!

Student 2
He was a special case he was as cute as a button, he thought that with his smile and his sparkling green eyes he could have the whole world as his feet. From the beginning he tried my patience he would do anything to get my attention. So I came up with different things to help him stay focus, which he couldn’t do for very long. I gave him a mini notepad in which he could write to me instead of just bursting out mindlessly in the middle of class. By the end of the day the pages were full of all sorts of nonsensical questions and doodles that had nothing to do with the purpose of why I had gave him the notebook in the first place. I tried sitting him next to my desk but then things started to disappear so I sat him back with the others. I spoke to the counselor and enrolled him in mentoring and he’ll go see her every Monday for their group meetings. His behavior just got worse and worse with no apparent cause. At this point I had conferred with his dad at least.

Student 3
Andrea was the sweetest little girl you can ever imagine. She had beautiful dark brown wavy hair, which she hated because it wasn’t stick straight. Her smile was perfect and her teeth were pearly white but she heated her smile because her teeth were not completely straight.

There she was she was 9-years old and in the 2nd grade. How sad how miserable, nobody understood her. It was so unfair that all the kids her age were either in 3rd grade and some in 4th grade. –“Why me, why me? “ She’d ask me. I didn’t know what to say I never knew a child could be so unhappy. She’d come every morning and I greeted her. She would smile and quickly cover her mouth so nobody would look at her teeth. This was just like her, very insecure to the point that she’d cry if she thought someone may have been laughing at her.

She was repeating 2nd grade (she had also repeated kindergarten).

Response to "Whoever you Are"

07/10/07

Summary:
This is a good book to teach children about a multicultural view of the world. It’s fine to be different; it talks about the different homes, games, etc. All the things that really matter are the same: pain, joys, laughs, hearts, and smiles. The book talks about differences in a friendly tone, something that any child can relate it to their own experiences.
Response:

Looking back at my childhood a story comes to mind in which I experienced dislike of my own self. There was a soap opera for children, which had a little blonde girl and a little black boy. The little boy was in love with her but she didn’t like the little boy because he was different. The little boy was always looking for ways to find graces with the little girl. In one episode one of his classmates wanted to play a joke on him so they told him that if he put on some cream he’ll have light skin by the morning. I was a child I didn’t know any better so I asked my dad to buy me the same cream. It wasn’t ‘till years later when I was able to write about this story and understand why I felt the way I felt.

When I lived in NYC I felt accepted because you wouldn’t see so much segregation but I felt totally out of place here in Texas.

Foreword, Letter to Our Readers & Twenty Minutes of Fluency

07/09/07

Foreword
It was interesting to understand how the The Quarterly has changed along with the foundations of the NWP. As Professor Sarah Warshauer Freedman talks about the humble beginnings of the publication and then brings it full circle to the new digital format you can only but wonder, what other wonderful things future technology holds?

Letter to Our Readers: Endings and Beginnings
“The end is where we start from,” this quote by T. S. Eliot is a suggestive affirmation of the NWP’s future. As long as there is an end the NWP will duly rise up to the occasion and make a new beginning out of it. The end of the paper publication only marked the beginning of the new digital one.

Twenty Minutes of Fluency—A Test
More than a test this proved to be truly a challenge; I can truthfully put myself in the shoes of those students. As today I was asked to write responses in the allotted time of 10-15 minutes, given I already had a point of reference even a literary style to copy. The students in the article were only given a prompt and then create a response that, could possible yield a ‘4’? I couldn’t do it. As James Gray stated in the article, only but a few of the students were able to accomplish this task. Instead of me wanting to run and do this test on my ELL students, it makes me think of the many times I have asked the same from them. Really, an eye opener for me.

Response to "My Great Aunt Arizona"

07/09/07

Altagracia and Rafael were expecting their first baby; they were both very excited. Rafael wanted a baby girl more than anything in the world. A couple of months later they found out that they’d have a baby girl, the search for names began. One afternoon as Altagracia sat down watching a soap opera a baby girl was born and was named Sugey, she just loved the name! She got up and ran up to Rafael and announced that she had found the perfect name: “Sugey”. He didn’t look convinced but after pondering for a while he told her, -“Let’s name her Sugey like you want but I want her to have my name as her middle name.” She said with a smile on her face, -“Sugey Rafaela Rosario Paulino.” Altagracia thought to herself, one day my daughter will achieve great things.

The baby was born and the years passed. Sugey started talking at a very young age. She always asked questions and whenever she went out with her dad she’ll ask him to read the billboards and signs posted on buildings and streets and then she’ll repeat and memorize the words and will act as if she was reading to him. There was something Sugey loved: books. Even if she didn’t understand the words she’ll make them up. You would often find her pretend reading, to herself, to her dolls and to anyone who would listen. One Christmas she asked her dad if she could get a green board, an eraser and chalk, she told her dad that she decided she’ll be a teacher. By the time she was 6 years-old she had learn to read on her own. She did 1st. grade over the course of the summer and entered 2nd grade at 6, making her the youngest child in her class.

Because Writing Matters

07/09/07

The Green Stone

07/09/07

There have been moments where I felt like I made a difference in teaching, that's when I felt that my green stone shone the brighest. However, when I wasn't able to reach a student I felt that I had lost my green stone. As an educator I feel the responsibility to make an impact on my students so in turn I feel disappointed when I can't do that. I'd like to share the a brief story of two of my former students that were at either end of the spectrum.

Last year I had two students which affected my life deeply; one of them was repeating 4th grade (he was 11yrs. old by the end of the school year) and and the other one had very severe behavioral problems. From the begining of the year I was met by their former teachers with all the negative comments you can imagine one could get.

Thankfully I was able to reach the 'retainee'. He came a very long way and was able to pass all three TAKS test. On the other hand the 'behavior' child fail all three. I know I did all I could and ultimately, I feel that as a teacher I need to forgive myself for not reaching every child. That doesn't mean I won't keep trying to reach every child but if it doesn't happen I will have the satisfaction to know that I gave it my best.