SRSD

The 5th grade will be using Self-regulated Strategy Development to teach writing this fall. 4 teachers were trained by SRSD trainer Leslie Laud last fall. Leslie came again this spring for a follow-up and will be returning next year. This pilot program will be used in grades 5 and 6 with the hope that grades 7 and 8 will consider it for the following year.

Check out this website with information about the program and resources and videos.

http://www.thinksrsd.com/

So far my students have exceeded my expectations using these structured methods.

Summer Reading

Here is a quick survey to help plan our summer reading program:

http://goo.gl/forms/DXkjvFEOgh

Author highlight: Kate DiCamillo

Books will weave themselves through our days. One author in particular pops up frequently: Kate DiCamillo. We will read The Tiger Rising and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. Students chose recommended books for independent reading and many of DiCamillo's novels are on the list. 

Please take a look at her website.

http://www.katedicamillo.com/

"Stories connect us"

Louisa Moats clip

Dr. Lousia Moats speaks to the issues plaguing our schools and how we are failing our students when it comes to reading instruction.

My First Blog:

This is a new experience for me! Here I am sitting in Williamstown learning how to blog. As I logged on I discovered that my 12 year-old daughter had beat me to it. Charlotte's Life already existed in cyberspace.

I am sharing information about kinesthetic learning. I knit while I think to help me focus. Here is an article on the subject, and a picture of one of the blankets knit while learning at The Reading Institute.

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/kinesthetic-learning-new-model-education-kirin-sinha

Classroom knitting project:

Here is a blanket that I finished during our last class.