Observations week 3/24

So this week I had a great observation week in terms of observing a group, but unfortunately the teacher was on a tight schedule and I was not able to administer the QRI to the student, she apologized, but it is getting close to testing and now is the time when they are reviewing math , and it just happened I was there during that time. She assured me I can come back early next week and she will make time for me to sit with the student and give the testing. After looking at the test, she just felt it took too much time to pull the student away. Unfortunately I do not know any kids to practice this test on which is frustrating! All of my friends kids are infants or toddlers and I have no neighbors with that I know well enough with kids that age. So unfortunately, this is going to have to wait until Monday morning. This is a bummer to to me because I had free time this week to do this report, but at the same time I have a great relationship with this teacher and school and they have already offered me a position for student teaching and subbing afterward so I do not want to mess that up!

Patience is a virtue lol!

Concepts of Comprehension Assessment: COCA

The COCA, which is an informal assessment designed to test the literacy of first and second grade students tests four areas they believe is the foundation of literacy:(however they realize more then four areas exist) comprehension stragtegies, vobaulary strategies, and knowledge, knowledge of text and comprehension of graphics. Michigan has deigned this as an nalternative system to a QRI for example, as a means to determine intervention or evaluate comprehnsion.The idea is that the assessmnet would measure if the student is enganing and using the sort of thought processess used by a good, or on level reader. Are they making predictions? Are the activating prior knowledge? Are they making infrences to help them comprehend? Are they summarizing?

Administration
They offer two diffwerent forms of the assessment; Dragonflies and Salmon. They also provide for specific adminstration guidelines. There should be aquiet setting, the text and prompts should be followed EXACTLY, it should be read with good prosody, the page should be pointed to, there should be a clear break betwen reading and questions and the information should be recorded as soon as possible.

Assessment
Michigan provides a worksheet assessment booklet for each of their systems which provides very clear cut text and prompts. For instance in the "Salmon" book page 8, the student reads: When salmon are one year old they hunt small fish called minnows.The teacher must ask: This page tells you the defintion of a word. What is that word? Hopefully, the child usues the skills mentioned like using inference, prior knowledge and predictions. If not the booklet instructs to follow up and re-ask and they provide the specific prompts with which to do so.

Data Interpretation
The system also provides a clear scoring guide for each of the books. The authors provides tools to assign scoring, and tally the scores. It is importnat to remian consistent and document any scoring decsions for student answers that are not listed in their booklets, or reralted to they samples they provide. On the scoring , obne can see that each area is labeled for what dimension or skill is being assessed, this is helpful because the test not only gives a broad view o the childs literacy skills, but a pinpointyed explantion of their struggkles as well.

Informational Strategic Cloze Assessment: ISCA

After examining the ISCA program, I cam to really enjoy this, and hope to be able to use it in my class. I like that it was content specific lit3racy, because often it is not. The ISCA is focused on grades 1-3 and in science (weather and geology). They provided very nice books on each of the subjects and the administration process and testing. This sort of system is very helpful to a primary teacher because there is so much vocabulary associated with content area literacy, that the student most likely is not familiar with. They are already trying to learn and absorb literacy skills, and then content area adds another level of difficulty for them. The ISCA is designed to test four areas: comprehension strategies the student used, vocabulary strategies, and knowledge, knowledge of informational text features and comprehension of graphics. I think the graphics part id interesting because it is something we shy away from with lieracy as the child advances, but in content area it is different. In content like science the student needs to be able to read, analyze and understand the pictures that for instance would show the the difference between metamorphic and igenous rock.

Interestingly enough, the third grade classroom I was observing was covering the same geology topic, so Michigan state was right on in terms of their content level, standards and area.The ISCA does mention that they do not expect you to administer such a measure to every student. This sort of system is best used for students with an intervention strategy in place, or one who may need an RTI or extra support.

Observation Report 3/12/11

I was very happy to return to the DK school this week, and I had a of of progress and success so I feel some of the frustration with getting settled with my student has passed. I have selected to work with a third grade boy, Conrad. Conrad's family is from the Philippines. They cam to America when he was at the end on=f kindergarten. Luckily, he came here early enough and is strong enough in his own language that he has picked up quickly and stayed on track. Conversationally, Conrad is excels, aside from a faint accent you would never know he is an ELL student. However, his reading level is a bit different. He struggles in literacy and has been working very hard in the last few years to keep up and stay on track. He has little support with English reading at home, so it is a constant struggle to keep him at least on track. Ms. P has three levels of literacy circles and reading abilities (there are some individualization projects for above level or Intervention students) but Conrad is in the lowest level group, reading at a "Q" level. The average readers in his class read at "R".

His workshop is currently reading "The Hamster in my Lunchbox". Mrs. P has been great because she understands exactly what I have to do. So she went around the table having each child read an excerpt. This allowed me to do a quick running record on the Conrad, so I feel this is a good step. As soon as I type it up I will share. I was also able to assess his word lists and listen to comprehension which gave me a good understanding of his abilities.  Right now the missing component is his writing sample. Hopefully next session she will share one with me. I was also able to observe a content specific reading and vocabulary assignment, which I have a copy f. t focused on geology, but it incorporated reading and vocabulary. We went to the computer lab for an Math activity and while there, Mrs. P showed me that in fact the frequently use Kidspiration and inspiration for literacy as well as other programs. I have another observation next Wednesday morning.

Class tonight

I am sorry, but I am going to be missing class. Hopefully one of my classmates can fill me in. I have been suffering from Migraines, and seeing a neurologist and having Physical Therapy. Today was the first day and she warned me it would trigger a migraine, which it did. I apologize and I will see everyone next week.

Observation report 3/7

So the good news is that I called my co-op teacher and she apologized because she is bad at checking messages. So I am all set to go in this Thursday.

Question for my classmates....

After viewing the video on Christopher Myers, what techniques do you think you could incorporate into your class to help gain  positive self confidence and increase the desire to read, especially with ELL students.

Christopher Myers

What a wonderful message this author has to send to students. I have never heard of Myers before, but after seeing this video, I am sure to find a book of his and take a look for use in my future classroom. His message is a positive one, the instills self confidence into students. Being different is ok, and we all have things that make up different. As teachers, we know that self confidence is one major key to being successful in school, and by using Myers books this can show students that even though they are all different , it is who they are and they are all cool.

Another major thing for me, was when Myers talked about reading. He asked the class if they liked reading and most responded yes. One boy, shook his head no, and when asked why he said it was too hard. My heart sunk. This is a reality that many students hate reading because they are being frustrated in school, and most likely not given the appropriate levels, skills, strategies and interventions. I like how Myers answers by saying do you think it is always easy for me to write books? no, but sometimes challenging things are the most fun in the end!

Observation Report week 3/6

As I mentioned earlier, the teacher cancelled our observation the week before their winter break because she was sick, then winter break passed. I left her a message last Monday tot see if I could go in last week but she never called back.

My next step is to call again and if not, call the front desk to see if I can set up another round for this week!