Nov. 8 Peer Conferencing & Gateway Museum

Dear Museum Goers,
The peer conferences seemed to go well. Students are taking ownership of their work. Now we need to transition them from reading their stories to telling and delivering their stories. My practicum reflection from Nov. 8 reads:

Students were engaged in peer conferences. Slips of paper were being shuffled from one author to the next. Children reading their story drafts no matter how long or short. Wherever they were in their story, they shared. I sat in on UNM coaches Suzie and Kim's groups. Students read willingly without having to be coaxed. The stars and wishes I noticed were being written down without any talking. Talk is an important part of the process. So I butted in and asked if students and coaches were talking about their stars and wishes. I asked if we could share, even if it meant taking a little longer. Student talk is so rich. Student learn from one another. It also recognizes and validates that what they have to say is important and worthy of hearing. Plus, children listen to each other. They can say things in such a way that they get it when a teacher may fall short of conveying the message! As teachers we should learn to listen more to students for we could benefit from what they have to say. I saw students collecting their star and wishes responses and actually sifting through them carefully reading the responses. WOW! These responses become what UNM storytelling coaches will begin with next Monday. This becomes the guide for refining their stories.

We will also start to transition from reading to telling their story. We do not want students to become too comfortable with reading their story since it will be performed as an oral telling- a Chautuaqua performance. UNM coaches will begin to focus on the telling of their stories, even it it requires them to scribe parts of the story for their students. The focus is on the telling of the story; not on the writing. That will come next semester!

Enjoy the pictures from today's peer conferences!

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Thank you, Gladys, for arranging our trip to the Gateway Museum and presenting your chapters on Organizing and planning instruction. Enjoy the pictures from our tour and visit.

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Thank you, Dana! (Nov.1)

Our class session today was at Taverna's Restaurant where Dana presented her Chapter on Math instruction with diverse learners, including ESOL.

Thank you for the sample lesson plans and reminder to relate learning to authentic experiences as well as drawing from students' background knowledge. It was a delicious way and relaxed setting to take in your presentation. Thank you for arranging our class to meet there!
Next Monday (Nov. 8) Gladys has made arangements for us to meet at the Gateway Museum where she will present chapters 12 & 13 on Organizing and planning instruction.

We had a stimulating time with our Fishbowl strategy introducing peer conferencing. It was a learning experience for coaches and 4th graders as we adapted as we went. I think students are prepared to participate in their own peer conferences next week, Nov. 8. If you would like to match up with another group, please feel free to do so. We will try to focus on helping students refine their understanding of the the wish in their suggestions for the storyteller during conferences. Modeling may be the best teacher.

Oompa! Frances

N.B. No pictures today!