Mini

Just a mini post to say how happy I am that I just submitted my last paper of spring term and I am officially done with year one of my doctoral program! 1 more to go plus a year of dissertating and I am set!

:) Now, sunshine and children's novels are calling my name!

Completed today: Stargirl and Tales of the Fourth Grade Nothing
Next Up: Bridge to Terabithia (read this one in 6th...vague recollections and never saw the movie that came out recently)

Don't forget to read my post below about the great webinar I participated in this morning!

Webinar

This morning I participated in a webinar on selecting and using core reading programs.

My evaluation: LOVED it!

Although I was pretty tired because I didn't get much sleep prior to the start of the webinar, I thought it was absolutely fabulous. So many things that were discussed were exactly on par with what I have been thinking about core reading programs. There was some technical difficulty with the sound throughout the hour long presentation, but it was completely worth waking up for and I am even more excited to get my hands on the book written by the presenter Peter Dewitz.

What is a webinar you might ask? Good question. I didn't know either until I took part in one. But I have to say, it was pretty cool!

I was imagining that it would be a video presentation that I would get to watch, but it was actually a lot different than I anticipated. It was better because it actually allowed the participants to utilize a chat function in order to ask questions and make comments throughout the presentation rather than simply listening. Instead of viewing a video of the presenter, we were viewing his power point presentation and we could hear his voice. I tried to take some photos of what the screen looked like so I could post about it.

Here is a close up of the chat window

I found it hard to focus on both the presenter and the chat conversation so I mostly just listened and viewed the slides because I was more interested in his research than what the other participants were discussing. This interactive chat feature was great though because it allowed us to ask questions which were then answered at the end of the presentation.

Twice during the presentation, an additional window popped up asking us to answer a question. We were given about a minute to respond. then the group results were posted.

I thought that was a really cool feature as well.

By no means was this presentation meant to discredit the value of core reading programs, but the Mr. Detwitz did share research indicating that this type of program is best if not used with fidelity.

Go figure.

Some of the more salient points that really resonated with me were:

core programs do not allow the gradual release of responsibility that is most beneficial to students
most of the stories are not written by actual children's authors.
the programs are research based, yet some of this research is market research conducted with teachers to see if they like the lessons and the program design.
one slide showed the average number of minutes that students who are below grade level readers spend actually engaging in the act of reading during a 90 minute core lesson and it was astounding. For the Treasures program that my district uses, the figure was about 10 minutes. TEN minutes a day spent reading!
the basic design of core reading programs has barely changed in the past 20 years despite the ever increasing diversity of our student populations.

At one point, Mr. Dewitz shared an example of the vocabulary that was selected for the book Thunder Cake.

On the left you can see the words designated by the reading program to be the "vocabulary" words for instruction, yet the left column shows 9 more words that most likely would also be challenging for students, but are not considered vocabulary words for this text. He emphasized that a scripted program cannot gauge where your students are in their vocabulary knowledge, therefore it is very appropriate for the teacher to select vocabulary words and stopping points based on your knowledge of your particular students. Also, he mentioned that the vocabulary words selected for study should have relevance outside of the particular text being read so students grasp a more universal understanding and can apply the words elsewhere in their lives.

I love that he validates teacher knowledge and skills, don't you?

Overall, I was really pleased with this presentation. I was told the power point would be posted on the IRA website, but I don't think that has been done yet. When it is, I will try to attach it in a different post so you can read through the entire presentation. It was really informative and made me feel confident that my misgivings about using core programs with fidelity are warranted and quite common among teachers. He actually cited four research studies about fidelity that I will try to track down and post for you as well.

Although the sound was a little sketchy throughout due to a storm in VA where Mr. Dewitz was located, the quality of the webinar was very good and it provided me with lots to think about! My amazement with technology continues to grow and I feel so fortunate to be teaching and studying in a time when there is so much potential for the use of technology to increase learning.

Free Bird

Mr. Sneaker is in the U.S and I have been a reading machine. Yesterday I finished Anne of Green Gables, then I read Because of Winn Dixie, Are You There, God? It's me Margaret, and James and the Giant Peach. I desperately needed a break from all things policy, politics, and project, so I just holed up on the couch and read...and read...and read. Now I am onto Maniac Magee and I am almost done. I am already 27 books into the list...maybe I can be halfway done by the time school lets out. It's really easy to get through a few of the shorter books in a day, but some (like the mammoth Anne of Green Gables) take several days to read.

A few favorite quotes from yesterday's readathon:

"Have you though about it, God? About my growing, I mean. I've got a bra now. It would be nice if I had something to put in it."

"Why you could go through twenty words without bumping into some of the shyer consonants, but it seemed as if you couldn't tiptoe past a syllable without waking up a vowel."

...and one from a kiddo that I work with...

"School is such a boring place. I'm trapped here for 8 hours a day with nothing to do."

Every teacher's dream to hear that statement....yikes. Then about 5 minutes later he started rocking out on his math problems and was so into it and proud of himself. As much as his teacher and I struggle to understand him at times, I really adore him. He's too funny.

***

My last 3 am class was this morning and despite my impression that I couldn't put two coherent sentences together during my presentation, I just skyped with my professor and he gave me good feedback. He said the members of my group said great things about working with me and that he has been really pleased with how the use of skype has worked out throughout this year. He also said I have really grown as a writer and am very clear and detailed in my papers. (snaps for me!). Everybody loves a compliment. Despite my elation that my early morning wake up calls for class are done, I do have one more tomorrow because I am watching the IRA webinar on core reading programs from 2-3. Then I will officially be non-psychotic for awhile...promise! I am excited to hear more about the history and evaluation of core reading programs and I will share if there are any golden nuggets of wisdom!

I helped my friend work on her applications today and we enjoyed a ~~lovely~~ rainy walk to Starbucks downtown. It's a religious holiday here in Germany today, but Starbucks wasn't observing, so we still got to enjoy some hot coffee in the chilly rain. Did June miss the memo about shining some hot sun down on me because the weather we are having is not birthday month worthy! Thank goodness I will be in Cali on my bday because a cloudy birthday is not cool. June babies deserve the sweet sensation of sun for their birthday celebrations. Speaking of weather, I love how the author describes the weather in Maniac Magee. "During the night, March doubled back and grabbed April by the scruff of the neck and flung it another week or two down the road." Great words! Great image.

It is already almost 10, so I am going to head to bed shortly with my book and finish it off. I will probably bring one more...just in case. I am looking forward to knocking out my last paper tomorrow morning so I have the rest of the weekend to hibernate, read, and RELAX!

L.O.V.E

Doing research and writing papers always reminds me of my love affair with office supplies and just how handy they are.

These beauties are currently on my mind and on my shopping list for must haves when I return to the states.

(and if you are anything like me these images will invoke a warm fuzziness within)

anything that comes in a rainbow of colors has my name all over it...including sneakers!

oh the pretty colors....

It's not like these items don't exist in Germany, but I wasn't quite willing to pay 14 Euros for Post Its...well, I was willing, but I thought Mr. Sneaker just might have a H.A. so I declined.

status update:

group project- check (hopefully my team members won't come back with any major overhauls to what I worked on tonight
slides for presentation-check (I did mine but we are waiting on slides from one more person)
other paper-partial check (worked on it today and I have 5 complete pages. It needs some editing, but I see the light at the end of the tunnel)
pile of books waiting to be read- still waiting

Counting the days...

I am not so much counting the days until school is over as I am counting the days until Spring term is over...

This is pretty much my life right now...

reading

highlighting

writing, editing, revising

staring at this stack of lovelies wishing I could be indulging in some simple yet enjoyable reading of classic children's novels

My group paper/presentation is almost done. It's due in class tomorrow (aka Thursday morning) and I am so over it and glad it will be done with.

I am working on one more paper that needs a bit more content, then some serious editing and I hope to get that submitted by Thursday.

I want to enjoy a carefree long weekend (Thursday is a holiday here + I don't work Fridays=4 day weekend!) and enjoy the bliss of SATC2 with my girls on Friday night.

Mr. Sneaker leaves tomorrow for the U.S so I will be a free bird again and I am so looking forward to lounging in my pj's with some kid books this weekend!

Also, the happiest thought of all....only 25 days remain until my birthday!

I am such a huge birthday freak and I can't wait to get a pedicure when we are in the US!

happy thoughts

happy thoughts!

Are you really surprised?

Yesterday while perusing the selection of books that the International Reading Association offers, I came across a book that I just had to have.

(Hence the post title...bought yet another teaching book? who me?)

The Essential Guide to Selecting and Using Core Reading Programs

Peter Dewitz, Susan B. Leahy, Jennifer Jones, and Pamela Maslin Sullivan

I have been narrowing down my ideas for what I might like to do for my doctoral research because over the course of this year and next year I have to write a lot of papers for a lot of different classes and it behooves me to have an idea of what question my dissertation will be investigating because all of the work that I put into all the "small" papers ( and that is relative because the small papers are about 30 pages) can lead to the final ginormous dissertation if I play my cards right (meaning I need to have my act together and choose a topic now so I don't end up having to do a ton more work down the road!).

I decided that I am really interested in investigating scripted reading programs with a multicultural lens to see if these programs hold up to the principles/values of multicultural education that speak to the importance of connecting to students' background knowledge and engaging students in learning through instruction that is meaningful and pertinent to their lives.

Tangent ===> I have some opinions about scripted programs that are percolating and I am still processing how I feel about them. I welcome the idea that the lessons are research based and incorporate the big five components of reading instruction, yet I feel as though when it comes to great literature, providing students with enough time to actually engage in reading and writing, and addressing the needs of students from diverse cultural backgrounds, perhaps these programs do not make the grade. Not to mention, they can be quite mind-numbing for teachers because they include a "teacher script" as if we would not know intuitively what to say without the special blue font that dictates word for word what we should say, "think aloud," and ask the students. Like many other things in life, I feel like scripted programs have their place, yet good instruction requires a balance of the research based, sequential, skill-focused lessons and the natural teaching that comes naturally to great teachers.

What's your opinion on scripted programs? Necessary or nuisance?

======>end tangent

(what a cute little reading components umbrella!)

Anyway, I was excited to come across this book because upon glancing at the table of contents, it appears as though it will be very informative with regards to the idea I am toying with using. There are chapters on the history of core reading programs and how they are created in addition to chapters that talk about how each type of reading skill is taught in this type of program. It sounds pretty interesting and I think that reading this book will give me a better idea of whether or not my research idea is feasible.

When I went to purchase the book, I saw that the IRA is offering a free webinar presented by one of the book's authors. I have never participated in a "webinar" before and I honestly don't quite know what it is, but it sounds pretty cool and I think that it allows me watch a presenter from the comfort and privacy of my own home. (These days I am all about professional development in my pajamas.) And similar to my routine wee-hours-of-the-morning class, this webinar begins at 2:00 am in Germany because it is being presented from the US at 8:00 EST. I have always considered myself a morning person but this is getting crazy! The webinar is on Friday morning, so the good news is that I won't have to go to work afterward. I figure I will get up, enjoy some learnin', then go back to bed. No biggie. I still have to wait and make sure my registration was confirmed because there are only 100 spots and I don't know if it has already been filled. Here is the link in case anyone else is interested. If you're on the west coast it's still pretty late but 11:00 is better than 2:00!

Have you ever attended a webinar?

If so, do share!