So, my kids rocked their first assessment back--that's not to say they are all where they need to be--we have a lot of work to do before they will be ready for 1st grade, but right now, of the 18 students tested nearly 89% (16 students) of my class is proficient on the Reading and Writing benchmark, and again 16 of them are also proficient for their fluency. For fluency they are given a sheet with letters in random order, and they have one minute to make the correct sound for as many letters as possible. A student's fluency is the greatest predictor of later reading success so I'm happy at the moment.
The math benchmark is next week, which I am a little more concerned about since the way we teach is "standards-based." Essentially, I teach one standard, and then I never teach it again. So, if my students didn't understand patterns when I taught it over the course of a week in October, they technically are not introduced to it ever again, though they are tested on it now in January. ...I don't necessarily strictly abide to the pacing guide (I tend to deviate from the curriculum somewhat), so I am hoping they still will grow on this benchmark.
Right now, the biggest challenge I see is teaching them writing. It's such a daunting task, and it's scary! So, from now on they will be doing full-fledged writing 2x a week in class and for homework at least once a week. Almost all my students returned completed journals after Christmas break, so I am hoping to send them home with another journal soon. They were great to read, and I think the more work they do at home in addition to what we do in school the better. Since I only get them for half-day kinder, and in other districts full-day kinder is the norm, I expect that the other half of the day parents work with their students...which is why I send home more than one page of homework each day.
So what we really need to tackle for the next couple months are reading and writing. I think they are finally ready for reading and writing--they are comfortable enough to make mistakes and to practice and to work hard to be able to read, to write, to be ready for first grade.
...oh, and don't get me started on this, but we still have a LONG way to go with rhyming. I think for the rest of my life I will hate rhyming, because with the amount of time I've spent teaching it...and the variety of ways we practiced...there are still a lot of my students who do not get it. I think I need to find a song about rhyming for them.
In other news...
1. I attended a Make-A-Wish volunteer orientation session on Wednesday, and I'm filling out the application in hopes of becoming a Wish Granter!
2. I am taking Chloe to dog training classes tomorrow--wish us luck.... It's been great having her out here, and I think it will be good for Chloe to learn to listen to someone other than me...and someone who doesn't have a treat in his/her hand.
3. I got to see Julie before she left for Korea! So great--I still wish everyone lived in the same town again, but it was nice to see her and to feel like we were back in Malibu again! If only there were a John's Garden here.
4. I still am not sure what I want to do come 2011...granted I have plenty of time to think. Perhaps a book is in the works somewhere down to the road. I mean, cancer, Alzheimer's, TFA and the education gap--the book writes itself, hey? Plus, in a couple years, maybe I can write about how Chris was the youngest singer to ever premiere at the Met? I certainly hope so.
Here's hoping Week 2 back at school is just as great as Week 1 (and that I follow my resolution to leave ON TIME every day again).
No comments:
Post a Comment