Our Week at School!

As usual, another busy week! We had two visitors: Mayor Kelly of Bartlett and Mrs. Siegler, our 1st mystery reader. We learned a lot from both!!!!!

In readers workshop we learned about 3 reading strategies to add to our CAFE menu: Check for Understanding, Go back and reread, and tune into interesting words. CAFE stands for Comprehension, Accuracy, Fluency, and Expanded Vocabulary. These are the goals of real readers and underneath we have the strategies to meet the goal. We will be adding more and students will have individual goals they work on in each area.

In Writers workshop we learned that IDEAS are the heart of all writing. Writers write what they know and they use expanded vocabulary to help paint a picture for the writer. We also have a CAFE menu for writing: Comprehension (my writing can be understood,) Accuracy (spelling, conventions), Fluency (word choice,) and Expanded Vocabulary. Just as in reading, each child has a goal/strategy they work on.

We finished unit 1 in Everyday Math on Friday. This was a review unit and we will take an assessment on Monday. This will help guide my teaching for small group work. We also worked on math stations. We also have a CAFE menu: Comprehension (I understand the problem and know what I am solving for,) Accuracy (I can solve problems correctly, I can add/subtract accurately), Fluency, (math facts), Expanded Vocabulary (I understand math words (difference, sum, equivalent, etc.) and use them in my writing.)

Under each goal we are adding math activities and students will have a choice of what to work on during independent math time. These choices, however, will be based on the specific math needs of the students.

We took our fall MAP reading test on Wednesday. On Tuesday afternoon of this week, we will take the math portion.

On Monday, students will have a substitute teacher as I attend a district literacy meeting. Mrs. Graves is a certified teacher who has taught for many years and has completed many long term sub positions at various schools, including Liberty. We are very fortunate to have her and there will be no interruption in learning.

I hope everyone is enjoying the beautiful fall weather today! I'm stuck inside with a nasty cold! Yuck! I hope this is the ONLY one of the year!

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