My Goals:

Present at a conference for teachers- My dream is to continue learn to build my knowledge to present at a conference. Specifically a conference focused on ELA or technology. I have a great love for reading and all things technology, and I want to be able to share that with other teachers. I have presented in a small group setting to my colleagues which a starting point. I also want to build my name so that people know and recommend me to present. I have seen so many great teachers on Instagram traveling to different cities presenting and I would love for that to be me one day.

Build my vacation fund- I have not been able to travel must in my adult life (we go small places that are like 3 to 5-hour drives). I would like to build my vacation fund to where I can take my family on vacation outside of the country every summer or a least every other summer :)! I took a trip to Hawaii that was paid for by my husband's job (free), and my daughters have wanted to go since they saw the pictures. I want to take them to Disney World in Hawaii! My dream trip outside of the country is New Zealand. I love how green and beautiful it is.

Buy a house- I love the neighborhood I currently live in and would love to buy a house out here. My children attend a great school and have been there for the past three years. I can't see my family living anywhere else (unless it's Hawaii of course)!!!!

Student Loans- I am working on my Educational Specialist degree and I have racked up a lot of debt  :(, so I really need to start paying that off or start making a dent in the humongous number!!

Thanks for reading!

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Teaching Little Smarties

Celebrating Black History was one of my first product I created when I started my TpT journey a year ago. I have been working on adding reading passages to this product and I have included a preview on one of the reading passages. If you would like to take a closer look, you can find it HERE .

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Teaching Little Smarties

First let me say to all my readers who were expecting this post yesterday, I am sorry. Yesterday was sooooo busy! 

Here is it part 2 of chapter 1 in The Literacy Teacher's Playbook.

In the last part of Chapter 1: Collecting Data the book talks about reading comprehension. Reading comprehension is a big part of my classroom. I know my students are readers no matter what level they are reading on, but the actual question is: Are they understanding what they read?

During this past school year, we have focused on reader response journals. I like response journals, but I feel that the structure of my journals was off. My students could not fully understand the concept and some were not understanding what they were reading. Response journals became frustrating for my struggling students who ended in them not doing them at all. For the upcoming school year, I will track my student's comprehension on a weekly basis using tools from the book. Using running records (on students reading more than one grade below grade level), comprehension test from  www.readingandwritingproject.com, and stop and jot activities.



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Teaching Little Smarties

Here we go!

 I am excited to be doing my first book study this summer! There are only for chapters in this book, so I have split the chapters into two parts. This part 1 of Chapter 1: Collecting Data.

Thanks for Joining!!

Chapter 1: Collection Data

This chapter is all about collecting different types of data. The great part about this is that the data they state in the book are already things you are doing in your classroom. 

Literacy Data Sources:

Running Records 

Books Logs

Engagement while reading

Participation in discussions

Fluency

Reading Comprehension

Interest Inventories

Chapter 1 goes into great detail about the different forms of data that can be collected in your classrooms (sources listed above).

In my classroom and the district as a whole has switched to Reader's and Writers Workshop. We are currently using Lucy Calkins units of study for both. This past school year, while teaching sixth grade, I have stressed the importance of reading, but also reading "just right books". When assessing reading engagement, research has proven for students to improve their reading students must read for long stretches of time while reading "just right books" and enjoying their text. I can also see what students are reading (if they are reading "just right books") by looking at their book logs. Book Logs can be a power tool to use for assessing if students are reading and if they are reading material they can comprehend. At times, I found my students reading books that were above their level of comprehension. The upcoming school year I am going to stress to my students the importance of reading books they can understand and build upon that. 

Knowing if students are reading during independent reading time can be used a data because if a student is not reading they are not increasing their ability to read.

Other sources of data are pre and post assessments. When starting a new unit or skill, I like to see where my students are and what they already know. This helps me when conducting my guided reading groups. I also like to have my students track their own data with students tracking forms. These forms are editable and can be found for free in my TpT store.

Visit my TpT store for my data binder covers and dividers. 

On Wednesday I will be talking about the second half of chapter one: Assessing reading comprehension, writing engagement, and qualities of good writing. 

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Teaching Little Smarties

For the upcoming school year, I have been looking at different professional development books to read over the summer. While searching my instructional coach's office, I found The Literacy Teacher's Playbook by Jennifer Serravallo. I chose to read this book because next year we will be focusing on DATA big time in my building. 

I will be starting a book student on this beautiful book starting June 8th. Every Sunday and Wednesday I will post about the section read. The first section will be pages 1-12, and I will post it on Wednesday June 10th. 

There are only four chapters in this book, but I will be splitting the chapters into parts. I want to make sure all the information is covered. 

Also, as I go through this study, I will be posting resources to use as far as data collection in your classroom. 

Upcoming:

6/8: Read, 6/10: Post

Chapter 1: Data Collection

- Tools for Assessing Reading and Writing

- Assessing Reading Engagement

-Assessing Fluency

- Assessing Print Work/Decoding

Can't wait to read your comments and ideas!

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Teaching Little Smarties