Week Two

Today I started the Daily Five with my kids. We talked about how to read a book, the first two ways anywhow, and I read The Rain Came Down without using words. Then we talked about what independent reading looks like. The kids had a lot of ideas for that and we focused on reading the whole time and how that is such a vital part of independent reading. I then had one child model what that should look like. I had another, one who has been a bit wiley, model how to and how not to read independently based on our ideas for what it should look like. The class did well on the whole, at building stamina, but there are still a couple kids who need more work that the others. Tomorrow I certainly plan to have another wiley one doing the demonstrations for what to do and what not to do. Perhaps more modeling is needed. I know these kids can do it and I know there are a few who really want to get moving with reading and writing but I am trying to get the entire class community on board as well. One thing I WILL do is keep at it. I think that stamina in patience for the teacher is just as essential as reading for the kids.
One boy decided that he would sort of raise his hand, then scratch his head, when I asked "How many of you don't want to be successful in reading. You can bet he looked around to see if anybody else saw him. You know the type. Perhaps it had been building up in me but he needed a little bit of medicine. During the day he ended up losing ten minutes of recess (step 2 in my class) but that will not end up being served until tomorrow. The problem with losing recess at the end of the day is that the kids do not remember what they did the next day. There must be a way for them to still get a consequence when they earn it at the end of the day and still learn from it. Perhaps he can do extra work during read aloud at the end of the day.
We are still working on the Loo issue. That is getting the kids to use the loo during recess. Kids are coming in right after recess saying, "I have to go really bad." I had to break it to them but I am being a Nazi about it. You use the loo during recess or no less than 15 minutes after. This can be more, depending on if I am talking. I know, they are kids and they need to be able to use the bathroom. I agree with this and my professors in college would probably refuse to aknowledge that I went through their program if they found this out. However, this is how I am doing it. These kids have too much to lose by using the loo every 20 minutes. They have three recesses and can use it just about any other time. On the other hand I do not mind if somebody else has another idea. Let me know what you think.