Off & Running, Finally!

Well, I now have two weeks in with a few of my small groups.  :)  One of the buildings I teach in is a kindergarten through third grade building.  On two days a week I meet with kindergartners and third graders and three days a week I meet with first and second graders.  Every quarter I switch it up so the two day group becomes the three day group. (It's quiet interesting.) I have been amazed at how much I am covering in my 35 minute sessions with these students using WBT.  My basic schedule is:
*Review Rules
*Review Biffy Tunes (K - 1, although the 2nd & 3rd graders like them, too.)
*Review Power Pix
*Genius Paragraph (I work Biffy Tune words into the sentences for my kindergartners and Power Pix concepts in to the sentences for the older students.)
*Super Speed (Letters for K, 100 for 1 - 3)
*New Biffy Tune words (K - 1)
*New Power Pix using the 5 step lesson plan
*Read (Crazy Professor will become part of this a little later.)

The students are really doing well.  The second grade group is all about WBT.  They do the Class-Yes, Teach/Okay, Mirror, etc.  The first graders are beginning to get it.  The third graders were a mixed group. Some would do everything wonderfully while others acted like they were too cool to participate.  Then I introduced the Super Improver's Wall.  Now the third graders are all about earning those stars.  They earn stars for beating their Super Speed record and for participating (gesturing, Class-Yes, Teach/Okay, etc.)  The kindergartners were my challenge.  They looked at me like I was crazy.  It was as if they didn't trust me to really want them to move and talk.  You wouldn't have believed how quite they got at first, but now they are making progress.  They will do the Class-Yes and gesture for the Biffy Tunes and Power Pix.  The Teach/Okay is still a challenge, but we will master it.

All in all, I am very happy with how it is going so far.  I get to start with my groups in the other building I teach in on Monday.  :)  That is a third through fifth building.  I am anxious to see how everything goes with these groups.  I'll keep you posted.

Until next time, happy WBT!

Susan

Reading Groups Are About to Start

The paperwork is done; at least at one of my schools, the plans are made, and I get to start with my own students tomorrow!  I can hardly wait to start using WBT with my small reading groups.  I will be working with students in grades kindergarten through fifth and will have 2-8 students in a group at one time.  This year I have most of the classroom teachers using WBT as well.  I am expecting great things!

I actually modeled using the Genius Paragraph in a 5th grade classroom last week on Friday.  It went beautifully.  I had not worked with these students before.  Their classroom teacher asked me to come in and model a lesson with the Genius Paragraph.  She was using WBT, but was still working on getting all of the Big Seven in place.  I walked in and started right in on the lesson.  The class responded and was on task the whole time.  I actually modeled how to bring a Power Pix (noun, verb, and adjective)into the lesson, so it took a little longer than the Genius Paragraph would normally take.  The classroom teacher wanted to see this complete process  Even with this added step, the lesson was complete in less than 20 minutes, and the students had it.

I plan to start with the Genius Paragraph tomorrow with my kiddos, but will only spend 5 minutes on it as we will be doing the basic lesson orally.  I won't bring the Power Pix into Genius Paragraph with my groups for the first few lessons.

I will let you know how it goes.

The Year Begins

Well, here we are, the beginning of another school year.  This is my 23 year teaching and my 3rd year as a reading specialist.  I haven't started working with my groups of students yet.  I have, along with a fellow teacher, given a WBT presentation to our group of new elementary teachers.  I am busy completing all the necessary paperwork to be able to start my groups.  I can hardly wait to get busy with my kids and put WBT to work. 

There are several teachers in my buildings using WBT this year.  I have heard several comments such as "This is the best beginning to the school year that I have ever had."  It sure appears to be a smooth start to the year for those embracing WBT.

My plan for this blog is to share how WBT works in a small group setting.  I will focus on Communication Arts as I am a reading teacher, but will share other things that I notice happening in the classrooms that I work with.  I will post at least weekly, but will try to post more often once I have my groups in place, probably beginning after Labor Day.

Come along on my journey of teaching reading with WBT.