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Teacher Quote of the Month...
"I was extremely pleased with the ease of use and the overall efficiency. I don't think I can live without your program now that I have started it. It is about time someone recognized the situation K-2 grade teachers face."
-Martha Hayes, Ruston, Louisiana
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Monthly Tip:
The "Bar Graph Analysis" report is an item analysis for each test, which shows how many students answered each test question correctly, and how many students answered incorrectly. This report helps teachers determine, specifically, which items or concepts were achieved, and which should be re-taught.
What you may not know is that this bar graph is clickable. Click on the green bars to show a list of students who answered the question correctly, and click on the grey part of the bar to see which students answered incorrectly, as well as, which students have not been tested. This will help make small groups of students with common needs, and help close the gaps in your class.
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Laugh Out Loud!
After a recent trip to Washington, D.C., I was showing my kindergarteners pictures of the different monuments and buildings. I held up a picture and said, "This is the Capitol building." A little boy, Jeremy, asked, "Where is the Lower Case building?"
~Chris Gulotta, Stuart, FL
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Great Resources:
Blending onset and rhyme, football theme, requires Flash Player.
Reading
A home literacy environment checklist to help parents provide their children with an environment rich in literacy learning opportunities. Spanish Version
Do you know of a website with great resources you could not live without? Send us a link at info@esgisoftware.com.
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Upcoming
February
Southern California Kindergarten Conference
Pasadena, CA
Feb. 27-28
March
The 28th Annual Illinois ASCD Statewide Pre-Kindergarten/ Kindergarten Conference
Schaumburg, IL
Mar. 5-6
New York State Reading Association, NYSRA Conference 2009
Saratoga Springs, NY
Mar. 29 - Apr. 1
June
Kingwood, TX
June 18-19
July
I teach K!
Las Vegas, Nevada
July 13-16
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Do You Know what 10,000,000 people worldwide know?
Media technology is an integral part of our  lives and our children's future. The world of electronic media is changing at warp speed. Television, until recently the dominant media source, has been joined by computers with internet, social networks, e-mail, instant messaging, cell phones, iPods, video games, and more. How can we teach our children to compete in a rapidly evolving world; let alone prepare them to face the problems of a future we cannot possibly anticipate? The short-term answer may be AWARENESS. A video entitled "Did You Know" has piqued the interest of tens of millions of people across the world. Take a moment to watch it on YouTube or TeacherTube. "We are living in exponential times," as the video says. Awareness + Strategy + Action = Change: an equation worth working through for our children.
Make Change Happen!
~The ESGI Team
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Oh, The Places They'll Go! |
Desire To Inspire Reading
Kids often share a bedtime ritual, story-time! Teeth are brushed, pajamas are put on, and most importantly, stories are read. The enthusiasm kids have for those nightly stories can continue throughout the day, every day, if we get into the habit of reading to the children in our lives. March 2nd is designated as "Read Across America Day" to remind us of the importance of reading to kids and encouraging them to read. This day was chosen because it is also the birthday of Dr. Seuss, an author famous for writing bedtime favorites.
With each passing page of a Dr. Seuss book, or any  book, good literacy habits and skills take shape in our children. Dr. Seuss's use of rhyme can help kids appreciate the power of the written word. There are lots of ways to get your students reading and thousands of media from which kids can soak up words and ideas. We encourage you to explore seussville.com and nea.org (the National Read Across America website) for games and ideas to encourage your students' families to read more at home.
On March 2, 2009, the National Education Association is calling for every child to be reading in the company of a caring adult.
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Making Reading Groups Fun! |
SPARK READING GROUP INVOLVEMENT WITH READING "TOOL BAGS"!
Nothing develops a child's imagination like reading, and there are inventive ways to draw your students into the journey of learning to read! Try making reading "tool bags" using inexpensive pencil cases to organize fun-filled "tools" to help engage and reward students during small reading group.
What child doesn't imagine a trip to Mars? Use Martian Fingers to encourage beginners to track their reading. Pack plastic glasses in their "tool bags" too. Simply pop the plastic lenses out and students can use these to pretend they are sophisticated adults, Harry Potter, or invisible while reading. Magnifying glasses are a fun alternative to encouraging kids to "frame" or pinpoint certain words in new books. This works when you are  introducing new words and having students identify those words in text. Reading Guides are also an effective way to help students track as they are learning to read. Students who have "wandering eyes" will be able to focus better and follow along using simple "tools". Masks are also fun for students to wear while reading. They can enhance the imagery of a story and give shy students the courage they need to read aloud.
When students are successful in their "group reading adventure," reward them with privileges. Wearing "Star Reader" necklaces for the day will help your students stand out for their exceptional efforts. Stickers are also a simple way to recognize readers who take the group reading experience seriously. Special reading bookmarks or pencils can be included in the "tool bags" to reinforce the importance of the group reading experience. Keep in mind; all of these ideas are for students who earn the privilege: a reward for participation.
Hint: Make enough for each student to "borrow" during their guided reading group time. This means six students in a small reading group will require seven bags, one for each of them and one for you to use for demonstrations and teaching purposes.
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Quote of the Month:
"Never lose sight of the fact that the most important yardstick of your success will be how you treat other people."
-Barbara Bush | |
