Re: Here we go!

I'm sitting here at my living room window looking at the gorgeous blue sky and wanting so badly to be outside playing, but then I open the door and decide against it. Instead I thought I'd read the blogs and post one of my own!

Kristen, I had a couple of thoughts about yours. I love your question, but definitely understand your conundrum. How DO you choose the students who need help? And isn't this the basic question we struggle with all year long? Everyday, from 8-4 we constantly wonder if we are helping the kids who REALLY need it. I think that we all probably find the kids who are missing the basics. In reading, we concentrate a lot of instruction on those who are struggling with decoding, phonics, phonemic awareness, etc. Without the basics they will have a hard time doing the higher level thinking we ask of them. So, in forming your math groups, maybe it would be helpful to look at the basic skills needed for the concept. A pretest is helpful, though sometimes it will make you feel like all you are doing is testing. I think it would be helpful, though, for you to divide your groups into those that will need the "basics". Good luck!

And now here's my conundrum. I have a question that I am very excited to be researching: "What happens when I intervene in the relationships between some of the girls in my classroom?" My hope is that it will lead to a lot of interesting discussions about how to communicate with people we do not get along with or particularly like. Hopefully it will start to give these students positive communication skills. Yet, I have NO IDEA how to collect data! If anyone has thoughts on ways to do this, I am certainly open to any and all suggestions. Thanks and enjoy the rest of your long weekend!