Mrs. Anselmi

Reading Workshop.  The students have between 15 and 20 minutes to read almost every day, also called OTTER time. If they don't get this in class due to time pressures, students should make the time to read at home.  Students are expected to report progress each day when I take a Status of the Class.  They call out to me the title of the book and the page number they are on. 

The reasons for doing this are simple:  

1.  I can keep track of what your child is reading and whether or not the book is appropriate for our age group.  

2.  I can steer students to other books if they are getting stuck on the book they are currently reading.

3.  I can discuss with the student a differentiated goal if the student is having difficulty keeping up with the 100 page minimum per week.

4.  I can discuss the book with the student during reading conferences during OTTER time.

Students are also expected to read at home each night, if possible, or make more time to read over the weekend as Response Journals with their running totals are due every two weeks on a Monday.  It is far better for the child to read each day for about 20-30 minutes than to force themselves to read for several hours straight on a weekend in order to play catch-up.  It also helps them write their responses to literature if they've read something in their self-selected books.

Literature Response Journal: Each week two responses to their reading are required. I have reminded the students of what's required the first time—the spelling practice sheet, entries headed as per the instructions glued onto the front cover, writing in blue or black ink only, etc. They have a quarter sheet, also glued into the journal, that remind them of everything they need to do before turning in the journal. The rubric for the journal is glued on the last page of the journal.  In essence, by what the students write, they are determining their grade.  Suggestions and sentence starters are also given, glued into the front of the journal, so students have prompts for their writing.  Fluency is important here, and I'm interested in the students' thoughts about their reading in this journal.  What are they doing while they're reading?  They should also be monitoring this.  Strategies for thinking are listed in the journal as well. I've updated this earlier.  Please see the homework section.

Please ask your child to see this RJ as it is not a diary.  You should be aware of your child's thinking and writing progress and the suggestions I'm giving them individually, every couple of weeks.  

Reading: See above.

Vocabulary:  We had our another test last week. Students have graphic organizers, we are defining words in plain English (rather than the dictionary definitions) making connections with other words, identifying all the other forms of the word, using synonyms and antonyms, drawing a non-linguistic representation (sketch), and finally using these in sentences of our own.  I'm doing a lot of modeling, and eventually, I will expect that the students take over some of these tasks. Vocabulary usually takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and one other day that we briefly practice (10 minutes) these words.  Students have been told that the next test will encompass last week's words as well as the words from this week.

Writing Workshop:  We began with Writer's Notebooks and students are expected to finish the entries at home if they do not complete them in the time given in class. 

Spelling: Students will be graded on how well they apply the correct spelling to words they frequently use. They have Rebecca Sitton's 200 word priority list.  These are simple words and we call this our "no excuse" spelling list.  They need to spell well in their daily writing and this means that they should be spelling conventionally in any subject. I give the students the correct spelling on a post it note when they misspell a word.  It is then their responsibility to transfer the word to their personal spelling list and then to practice it until it is permanent.  Students are also expected to find words that they've misspelled (I mark them) and add them to their personal spelling lists.

As I said at Back-to-School Night, I believe that all children can learn, though not in the same way or on the same day.  So, I ask your help in checking your child's plan book each night if the assignments are not coming in the way they should as indicated on Gradelink.  I will be very glad to sign off on the planbook each day, if your child needs the organizational help.  It would help your child enormously, if at your end, you check that the work is completed according to instructions daily, before signing or initialing it.  

Thank you also to those parents who have written me about your child.  I've already had occasion to use your input while helping your child.  Those of you who haven't, it's not too late to get that back to me.