Hello Teacher Friends! I would first like to apologize for being MIA. I switched schools, went from back into the classroom from being a Reading Interventionist, and am super happy that I was chosen to teach the group of students that did not attend Pre-K nor had any previous schooling experience.
This has its benefits and challenges. However, I am most humbled that many of my students are recent immigrants and have their stories to share. I find that my students are mature for 5yr olds in the sense that they understand the concept of hard work. They understand that someone must work hard to get what they want. Everything I do in class is a novelty to them! They beg me to read books and use that as leverage to each other!
We follow an approach to Balanced Literacy on our campus. I allow the students to select their writing tool and paper during Writer’s Workshop. The first few weeks were marks on a paper. I smiled and encouraged them to be writers like the authors of their favorite books. We look at letters and words and sentences together. They are beginning to understand that words have meaning. Since we talk about goals, I came up with a simple slip of paper that I use during our one-on-one conference time. I meet with about four to five students per day. I discuss what they are already doing well such as selecting a paper, leaving the white area for an illustration, stamping the date and then we both discuss a goal. The following week, they bring their writing and I punch a star-shaped hole on their slip if they are being successful in working on their goal. I am not looking for mastery, simply for mindfulness.
{I accidentally used the LECTURA slip instead of the ESCRITURA slip. 🙂 }
You can get a free copy of this Metas de Lectura here.
Have a wonderful week!
Creando Einsteins 