MGRP 4 and Van Sluys

I love the idea of using poetry with children. It is such a verbal genre. Children looovvveee to rhyme and the smallest unit of participation is just a rhyming sound so... all can participate and be successful. Lessons can be designed where there are no "rules" or guidelines can be given. Allowing for all abilities to be incorporated.
Invitations also lend themselves to all learners. Being an opportunity in and of themselves to evaluate your views and incorporate possibly new information into your view point makes it something anyone can do. You literally start where you are ;).
Van Sluys point out that we must be prepared and prepare our students with what will be expected of them. This holds true for all of our lessons and class activities.
I thought that keeping in mind that we as teachers are facilitators or resources but not part of the group doing the inquiry is important.
I intend to use journals and reflective responses in my classroom. I feel that it allows individuals an opportunity to express themselves as an individual apart from the group about their group experience. Also allows for students to experience their topic from another vantage point. In addition allows for qualitative assessment. One final, it will be a tool for students to guage their own progress.
Both readings mentioned the benefits of peer praise. We have been reading more about like peer explanations lately but the idea of doing something well that you are proud of and your peers thinking that it is good too, seems wonderful. I also think that this will help build skills in giving compliments and creative criticims.

MGRP and doughnuts

You know part of the reason that I am seeking the reading certificate also is because through my courses I have discovered that my experiences with words and reading and writing are not the same as everyone elses and that I am in a way lucky. I don't ever remember not being able to read. And by read I mean see a movie play out as I read the text, not just understand the words. Reading for me has always been an enjoyable activity, like others go to the movies or watch TV, I read-like a fiend! I believe that my strong reading skills have allowed me to love research also. I have always loved research papers! Once upon a time I volunteered for the IUN newspaper (for fun???). I have always enjoyed the challenge of taking a one dimensional topic and creating a multi dimensional paper. I am so excited to learn about how to teach others how to do this!!!! And with the addition of multigenre we can also tap into everyones strengths and passions too, it's soooo exciting!
Love the idea of the Process Journals! Think that it will allow us to share the journey with our students in a more authentic way, not just give a grade for a final product. much like what we have been learning in Math it will allow us to give credit for all of the effort too and not just the "right/final answer".
Love the idea of doing a project with the class. What better way to demonstrate that what we are doing have relevance and that the skills that we use will continue to develop over our lifetimes.
I was reminded of our trip to the local library and how they are willing to help our classes and students (and ourselves) create meaningful library research experiences with us, if we just give them a little notice.
I am soooo going to have a donut shop in my class!!!! My head is just racing with possibilities and ideas!!! I can't wait.

Making Rubrics

I actually love making rubrics!!! I like thinking them through.... This skill at excellence level looks like... at good level looks like.... at ok level looks like... and at unacceptable level looks like... I also love the idea of involving the children and letting them define the different skills and how they will be represented. I really think that this can have the effect of empowering them. And, I know that for me, when I look over a rubric for an upcoming assignment it helps to stimulate thoughts or to organize my ideas, I would hope that this kind of exercise, along with student participation would have the same effect for the students. Also I think that it can help to see "huummmp, if I do this (say turn it in late) it will have this reaction (loose 5 pts.). I think that putting it down in wrtiing helps me as ateacher to remain accountable and for the students allows them to feel more stable (or trust) in a more predictable.

Crafting 10-12 and Karen Article

I have really enjoyed this book!!! I wonader if she would come and give us a presentation? I love that she gives us methods to think about and direct hands on ways of implementation to mull over. Even if a particular activity is not within our particular "style" it at least provides a starting point for us to be able to develop something that will fit us as individuals.
I was reading along and thinking that I was all orginal and that I had the greatest idea. I would like to suggest an idea of having the children having a form  that has columns on it that have titles along the lines of 1) Name of the skill (The What). 2) Why it is good. 3) Put it in your own words 4) What to do next/ How to apply. I am envisioning these columns across the top of the page and then a "Try It's" section. And I just want everyone to know that I came up with this idea before reading about any "Student Conference Sheet" on page 175! I was quite amazed that she tried to steel my idea like that ;). The sheets could be part of the students working resource binder (like along with spelling and vocabulary words).
The one and only criticism that I have with this shole book is the use of a compliment in what I see as a comparison of an individual against other students. I do not care for the "You are doing something well that other students are not yet doing". I can see framing this into an age or grade level accomplishment "You are doing something that I don't usually see until the 3rd grade or for a 6 year old you are doing something that children don't usually get until they are 9. For me personally this omits the competition from this specific classroom and places it back upon the student as an individual.
The article presents quite a delimena. After I read it all I can come up with is that hopefully with the further development and implementation of Professional Learning Communities and the use of Rubrics as assessment tool that the Communities will help to build upon the strengths of a teacher and help to absorb the shorcomings (or varried interpretations) of the individual teachers also.