Even though I believed my conferences to be successful ones, there was still some part of them that left me feeling a bit unsettled.  I realized that the biggest change in them this year was how my time was spent.  Usually I run out of time to go over everything I had put together in a file for them (not to mention the hours spent preparing them).  This year it seemed like there wasn’t enough time because I spent the majority of the time teaching my parents parenting skills along with how to help support their child’s learning at home.

It surprised me to realize that a huge part of my job this year has been spent explaining to my parents why reading at home is so important.  Many of my parents had no idea how to help their child with their reading.  When introduced to the many different reading strategies to use, as well as being given a list of questions to ask their child about a book, I found them to be thankful and appreciative.  There was so much more I found myself wishing I could share with these parents who were so willing to help their child, but had no idea how to.  Twenty minutes was just not enough time to both teach them and discuss their child’s progress.

This year my school has started conducting reading nights for our parent community once a month.  On these nights different teachers have volunteered to model and teach different reading strategies to the parents while teaching them how to read with their child at home.  After my parent teacher conferences this year I realized how important it is for us to be providing this information to our parents some how.  It hit me that I can’t expect parents to help our students at home if they have not been taught how to do this.

I know some of you mentioned having reading nights at your schools or within your districts.  I am curious how you structure these nights and what all information you share with parents.  I’m thankful for any input you have to share!

Thanks to Bill Mahan for use of flickr photo.

1.  Vocabulary Symbols

For each vocabulary word we have, together as a class we decide on a symbol we can use to help us remember that word.  Each sign is usually a hand gesture or movement of some sort.  Each symbol must be able to be created while sitting down and it is important to tell your students that every symbol is also silent.  (Ex: vocabulary word of captain. My class came up with the symbol of saluting someone….hand up above your eyebrow while moving it out towards them, as a soldier salutes someone).  Every time we review the meaning of the word, I have my students practice their symbol by asking them to show me….(vocab word).  My team has found that using these symbols greatly benefits the students comprehension of new vocabulary words.

2.  Vocabulary with nouns, verbs, and adjectives

As a school we uses different colors to help teach the difference between nouns, verbs, and adjectives.  All vocabulary words, word wall words, or any other special words are posted or written in specific colors.  All nouns are associated with the color blue, verbs with red, and adjectives with green.  There are many less adverbs that come up, but when they do, we associate them with the color purple.  I have three large posters hanging in my room, one of each color, that we attach our vocabulary words to.  When my students are first learning the word, we also decide if what part of speech it is.  These words stay posted on the right color poster throughout the year for the student to look back on and use in their writing throughout the year.

3.  Synonym Trees

The use of this strategy has helped my students better understand what synonyms are while deepening their comprehension of their weekly vocabulary words.  The synonym tree is a template we have created as their teacher.  This sheet of paper is designed to have 8 trees on each side of a sheet of paper (landscape view).  Each tree is drawn out with two lines curving up for the bark.  At the bottom of each trunk we write one vocabulary word.  We then write in different synonyms for that word by angling them when writing them to look like different branches on of the tree.  We use these sheets by reading aloud the vocabulary word and each synonym while the students repeat each word with us.  Students are then allowed to choose their two favorite synonyms and highlight them on their paper.  We also look back at the word and trace over the trunk lines with marker, indicating if the word is a noun, verb, or adjective by coloring it with the correct color (see above).  Later on in the year each we start to write only the synonyms in, and have the students have to go back and write the vocabulary word in the trunk.  Another variation is to have each student or group of students try to come up with one of their own synonyms for the word and add it to the tree.  Students love working with their synonym trees and often pull them out when writing to use their highlighted words.

It always seems to take me by surprise, even though I know I am getting closer and closer to this moment each time I flip over another page.  Reaching the end of a book, turning to the last page, and reading sentence by sentence until you reach the last one has never failed to bring on many different feelings.  My mind is usually  so caught up in the moment that I find myself just sitting in silence for a minute while I stare at the cover of the book that I have become very familiar with.  In this moment I usually find myself wrapped up in the story by thinking of the characters and picturing what I think will take place next for them, even when they’re  fictional.  This past week I got to share one of these favorite moments of mine with my students as I finished reading There’s a Boy in the Girl’s Bathroom by Louis Sachar aloud to my class.

I loved being able to share this experience with my students.  Many of them just sat in silence for a minute as I could see them thinking about the story.  A hand eventually shot up along with the question of, “Does this mean we don’t get to hear about Bradley anymore?”  It was here that I  found myself torn, part of me being thrilled to see that this book really reached and engaged my students, and was one that they truly did look forward to listening to.  The student who asked this question was the child that I would have least expected to have wanted to hear more of this story.  The other half of me shared in the sadness while explaining that our time with these characters had come to an end as we had finished the book.

This led to a great discussion of our feelings whenever we come to the end of reading a book.  I was impressed at how well some of my students were able to communicate how they felt when finishing a story.  We mentioned that the better the book we’re reading, the harder it is to put down, and how it’s a mixed feeling of being happy and sad when you come to the end.  Excited to have finished another book, yet sad because you know you have no more left to read of it.  This led us to discussing how some authors continue a story by writing a sequel or even series of books.  The example of Harry Potter as a series was shared by another student.  I loved using this moment of linking this experience to being both a writer and reader.

These discussions reminded me of the huge importance of reading books aloud to students!  For many of my struggling readers, they would have never been able to share in a piece of literature like this book without having it read aloud to them.   Finishing reading a book together as a class helped bring us together as a community as we could all relate to the characters and story we experienced together.  The activities I was able to engage the students in related to this book were priceless.  Every child was participating and excited to share their input because it was finally an activity based on something they all understood and felt a connection to.  These were the best lessons I have taught yet this year on character traits, narrative elements, and comparing and contrasting.  I can’t wait to see what reading the next book aloud to my students will bring.  Any  suggestions on good read alouds?

Thanks to google images for the use of photo

As teachers I think we can all admit to having at least one of these moments in our teaching career.  Sometimes this scene occurs from the least expected lessons.  For as much as we may find ourselves wishing we had more time to teach reading or writing throughout our days, I want to draw your attention to the importance of keeping the arts alive in our schools as well.

For many years now, we have seen the huge push to keep music and art programs in our schools.  VH1 used to have their “Save the Music” commercials from time to time with different star musicians voicing the importance of keeping music education in schools.

As we all know, students learn in different ways and have different learning styles.  Some students thrive on the arts whether it be in music or art.  Too often we expect our students to write about a past experience.  If we cut out our music and art programs, we are taking away experiences and memories for our students.

For one child, having the opportunity to be surrounded by art made the world of a difference to him.  He was fortunate enough to grow up in an artistic household.  His dad was always doing art in the basement, so he grew up constantly watching his dad make different things from drawings, paintings, and wood carvings.  While in school, he found creating art to be an outlet for him.  He was also fortunate to have his art teacher as a mentor while growing up.  He explains that he was never good in math or English, so he never found himself to be close to either of these teachers.  Instead, he found his special connection to be with his art teacher, who he found to be very inspirational throughout his school years.

Today, this child has grown up and has followed his passion for creating art even as an adult.  This past year he became the world champion of wood carving.  Not only does he create wood carvings, drawings, and airbrush paintings, but also finds the time to hold a variety of art classes where he teaches how to create your own art.  He holds classes for all ages, spanning from 4 years of age to seniors.  You can take a closer look at all of his work and classes that are offered by visiting his website http://www.finsinwood.com

According to this local world champion of wood sculpture, Josh Guge, “Without art, we would live in a very boring, plain, and uninteresting world.”  He believes there are many different things in the world that we can’t live without that have to do with art.  He also points out that there were many influential people in our history that were artists.  If we are to take art out of our school day, we are only loosing precious cross-curriculum teaching moments.

If we don’t give our students opportunity to learn in all realms, including the arts, we would be limiting the opportunities students have to soar and become their own world champions one day!

Thanks to Josh Guge for the picture of his Queen Angel Fish wood sculpture.

“That reminds me a lot of Jeff and something he would do.”

“Yes!” (With an excited arm gesture to go along with it)  was the response I got when I told them we would be able to read more at the end of the day.

Trust me, I was extremely surprised to hear these questions and comments from some of my third graders this afternoon.  It created one of those teacher moments where you are so taken back from a comment that you question if you heard the child correctly.  Could they really be this excited for me to read more of the story aloud to them?  Did Johnny really just make that connection to Jeff’s character?  Is Sarah honestly more excited to listen to more of this story than she was for our Fun Friday celebration time last week?

I have been reading “There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom” by Louis Sachar aloud to my students this year.  I knew my students have been enjoying listening to this story, but didn’t realize to what extent.  Today reinstated how glad I am that I chose to start the school year off with this book.  My favorite part of reading a book aloud is watching how a sense of community builds amongst us as a class.

Louis Sachar does a wonderful job creating situations that most students are able to relate to, especially during the first few weeks back at school.  I have fallen in love with this book for the fact that it lends itself to great discussion on the character traits of the two main boys.  It has tied in beautifully with the concept of being a “Kid of Character” that I use with my students.   Different examples are provided in the book between characters that allow for discussion of friendship and bullies. I could go on forever with different reasons why I am such a fan of this book, but wanted to be sure to point out why it has been so helpful for me to read at the beginning of the year.

The end of my day with my students used to feel very rushed as everyone tried to quickly pack up all of their materials, get their backpacks, grab any lunch boxes, and stack their chairs.  I picked up the idea of reading aloud to my students at the end of each day from another one of my colleges and have LOVED using it so far.  I end my day five minutes earlier, allowing my students to pack up and find a seat on the floor by me in front of the room.  Everyday ends on a much calmer note where all of the students are engaged in listening to the book being read aloud.  My students are familiar with this procedure now.  I have found it also acts as a great motivator for some of my students to pack up and get ready much quicker than before.  Everyone wants to be able to hear more of this story, so they get themselves ready quicker.

Feel free to see if this procedure or story works for your class this year.  I’m always looking for other great titles too, so please share any you have read aloud to a class.   When you find yourself reading aloud to your class, I will not be surprised to hear that the questions of when you get to read next have started coming your way!

Throughout our days we are continually faced with issues and our expected to piece together many different puzzles as we problem solve to quickly resolve one predicament at a time.  Too often, I think we allow ourselves to get caught up in all the issues facing us within our own classroom walls that we forget to step back and call on others for help.

How many of us would agree that some of the most effective strategies used in our classrooms are ideas we picked up from other teachers themselves? From my own experience, some of the best teaching methods I use in my classroom have been those I learned from other teachers I’ve worked with.

With all of the issues facing teachers today, we often have little time to research effective strategies on our own.  My hope is that this blog becomes a home for any ideas, lessons, strategies, or questions we can share with each other, especially when it comes to teaching reading.  We are all faced with the challenge of meeting each of our students where they are and taking them on a journey as we work to increase their reading comprehension and motivation throughout the year.   Please feel free to share any comments, whether it be suggesting great read aloud books, any activity you’ve done, or any questions and challenges you find yourself faced with.  It is my hope that together we can continue to grow as learners as we strive to teach with excellence.

As we begin to remember to call on each other for help and ideas, we will start to piece together one puzzle whose picture consists of developing successful readers in our classrooms.  When we begin to bring our own puzzle pieces to the table, we will start uncovering others that may be the perfect fit.

Thanks to flickr.com for the use of photographs both in heading and within this post.