How do you fit it all in? -Concerned Teacher In my last blog post, I wrote about how I teach tier 2 vocabulary words. I developed a whole approach using research-based instructional strategies with a fun twist for increased student engagement. If you missed that post, you can read it here. After publishing, I received many questions via email and in my tpt store. Almost everyone asked the same question: How do you fit it all in? I get it. I really do. As classroom teachers, we're inundated with curricular and non-curricular demands daily, hourly, and some days by the minute. So your questions are valid. How do I fit it all in? I grappled with this question for quite a while before I found something that works for me. The school district I work for mandates 90 minutes for reader's workshop and 60 minutes for writer's workshop. I had to fit in word study (we use Words Their Way), as well as the academic vocabulary instruction. These two are not synonymous. Words Their Way teaches spelling patterns, phonics, and Greek and Latin roots. Tier 2 vocabulary are robust, academic vocabulary words that students are likely to encounter across all topics and content-areas and in testing situations. Fitting it in felt like this in the beginning! At first, I tried to keep all of the pieces of my reader's workshop intact. That means, I taught a reading strategy mini-lesson every day, my students read independently for at least 30 minutes every day, and I taught either guided reading or strategy groups every day. Then I tried tacking the vocabulary lesson on at the end of the session. I ended up not having time to share my mentor text with my kids. I had to have time to read aloud in my 90 minute reader's workshop block. That was non-negotiable. Then, I had my Elsa Moment. I let go of that impossible expectation. I really did. Because you know what? If I made my vocabulary lessons part of my cycle of mini-lessons and/or small group instruction, I was still teaching reading. Sure. I wasn't teaching the prescribed unit mini-lessons, but my kids were still learning how to read. They were learning to read and comprehend hard tier 2 words that they encounter across all subject matters. Once I had that paradigm shift, I regained my sanity. Check out the chart below to see how I did it. Some important notes about this schedule... Words Their Way practice occurred at home. It was a short homework task that students completed every night (5-10 minutes tops). I teach 2 to 3 tier 2 vocabulary words every week. I assess on Fridays, every other week. The assessments are quick and to the point. I'm not a fan of a "centers approach" in my 5th grade reader's workshop. Why? Experts say that kids need to read at least 30 minutes a day. Fifth graders should be reading 50-60 minutes daily. Guess what? It isn't happening at home. Therefore, the only other task during independent reading time is that my students complete a vocabulary thinking task in their notebooks. This approach isn't the only way to incorporate vocabulary instruction, but it is the schedule that has worked for my classroom. I would love to hear how you "fit it all in!" Share in the comments! If you're looking for a way to teach tier 2 vocabulary words or want to pump up your word study practices, check these out. Just click on the picture!
Are any of these ineffective teaching methods still part of your practice? Time to reconsider.
ELL, ESOL, LEP, ELD. We all have experienced English Language Learners at some point during our teaching careers. Learn some strategies to help both you and them be successful!
Honestly, I don't ever remember learning syllable rules when I was in school, and amazingly enough, I still learned how to read. When I first started hearing about syllable rules (as a teacher) they
A noun clause is that contains a finite verb and functioning like a noun within a sentences. What is Noun Clause, Example Sentences; Noun Clause with “that“ He knows that I am a dentist. She said that her friend’s name was Sam. We know that he doesn’t eat meat. I can understand that you won’t be always with me. I think that you should support your sister. She believed that I was right. Noun Clause with “if” or “whether“ I don’t know if my brother is at home. Whether he’s passed exam is still unknown. I wonder whether he’s passed
When the time came to teach my two young sons how to read, my homeschool mentor/dear friend Beth recommended I keep things simple....
Five Reasons for Teaching Beowulf I can still remember the first time I heard someone read Old English aloud. The words had a hypnotic sound to them like a druid casting a spell. Of course, this druid was Dr. Ellis, my Hawaiian-shirt-wearing English professor. I couldn’t believe that what I was hearing was actually Eng
Here you will English Vocabulary related to Problems and Advice. Useful idioms related to problems. How to give advice in everyday English.
Remember the game Don’t Break the Ice from when you were little? Well, it’s still around. I’ll bet many of you even have one in your therapy closet. I was at Walmart the other day and found one on sale for $4.88, so naturally I snagged it! It just needed a little something extra to […]
Not Peace But a Sword There are a lot of problems with this cartoon. First of all, was there a historical Jesus? Still debated. Second, if there was, did he or would he say this? Probably not. Third, but if he did, or the writer of Matthew was trying to convey something essential in the teaching of Jesus, it was more probably a challenge to family, tribal, and religious systems that limit people in their freedom. In any case, I've even seen verses that are explicitly about peace and love twisted beyond recognition to justify the opposite of their intent.
How to use Already, Still, Yet in English and Example Sentences Table of Contents STILL YET ALREADY STILL Still means that something is ongoing, hasn’t finished particularly when it was expected to finish earlier. Examples; Is your father still at the same company? The baby is still crying. I am still doing my work. Are you still playing the basketball? YET Yet means that something that we expected has happened or hasn’t happened. We usually put it at the end of a sentence. Examples; She won’t have sent the email yet. Samuel has bought a new dress but he
Hello dear friends! These sweet vintage pages are from a 1958 Nursery Rhyme book. I thought these 3 pages were so sweet and I wanted ...
When I was first approached to contribute to this blog series, I was a bit intimidated. I love teaching American history and encouraging critical thinking skills in my students. I like to think I’ve been doing the work to my lessons more anti-racist – still, I know that I’m not an expert. Also, I’m white […]
FULL PASSING CAL TPA CYCLE 2 PORTFOLIOThis is my passing example of the CalTPA Cycle 2 Version 5. I did Cycle 2 for LITERACY (If the CTC is on a new version, you can still use this for reference but make sure to use the most updated version to submit).I included all of the submitted files EXCEPT the...
Need your character to do something, but not sure what would motivate them to do it? This character motivation worksheet can help!
Five Reasons for Teaching Beowulf I can still remember the first time I heard someone read Old English aloud. The words had a hypnotic sound to them like a druid casting a spell. Of course, this druid was Dr. Ellis, my Hawaiian-shirt-wearing English professor. I couldn’t believe that what I was hearing was actually Eng
All thirty of them jerked their heads up at once and stared at me, mouths open. For a moment the air was still while they tried to process what had just happened.
DEAR SEAN: I am a teacher. I’ve been teaching for almost 25 years. It was my dream job. I’ve always loved it and now I don’t. Inept administration, difficult students, priority-confused parents, and lack of support with increased expectations have worn me down. Now all I think about is retirement. Kids are my life. Their […]
Here you will English Vocabulary related to Problems and Advice. Useful idioms related to problems. How to give advice in everyday English.
Remember the game Don’t Break the Ice from when you were little? Well, it’s still around. I’ll bet many of you even have one in your therapy closet. I was at Walmart the other day and found one on sale for $4.88, so naturally I snagged it! It just needed a little something extra to […]
The reasons your students (or audience members) aren't participating the way you want them to, and some new things you can try to get a better response.
Have you learned this rule before? I certainly didn’t in school. Once upon a time I was just an educator sitting in an OG training class with her jaw to the floor wondering how all these years I...
Not Peace But a Sword There are a lot of problems with this cartoon. First of all, was there a historical Jesus? Still debated. Second, if there was, did he or would he say this? Probably not. Third, but if he did, or the writer of Matthew was trying to convey something essential in the teaching of Jesus, it was more probably a challenge to family, tribal, and religious systems that limit people in their freedom. In any case, I've even seen verses that are explicitly about peace and love twisted beyond recognition to justify the opposite of their intent.
How to use Already, Still, Yet in English and Example Sentences Table of Contents STILL YET ALREADY STILL Still means that something is ongoing, hasn’t finished particularly when it was expected to finish earlier. Examples; Is your father still at the same company? The baby is still crying. I am still doing my work. Are you still playing the basketball? YET Yet means that something that we expected has happened or hasn’t happened. We usually put it at the end of a sentence. Examples; She won’t have sent the email yet. Samuel has bought a new dress but he
Hello dear friends! These sweet vintage pages are from a 1958 Nursery Rhyme book. I thought these 3 pages were so sweet and I wanted ...
When I was first approached to contribute to this blog series, I was a bit intimidated. I love teaching American history and encouraging critical thinking skills in my students. I like to think I’ve been doing the work to my lessons more anti-racist – still, I know that I’m not an expert. Also, I’m white […]
I was recently chatting online with a teacher who was sharing how embarrassed she was at a recent interaction with a student. He was frustrated with something in class and she told him, “Stop crying and get back to work.” As we reflected on that together, she wrote: Imagine how I would feel if I were crying … Continued
Here are six teaching strategies I use every lesson, every day.
All night I muse, all day I cry, Ay me! Yet still I wish, though still deny, Ay me! I sigh, I mourn, and say that still I only live my joys to kill, Ay me ! I feed the pain that o
