Back to the blog!

It feels good to be back to our blog. As I was telling you all in class, I think the blog became a difficult space for me to face in the weeks following Janice's death. I apologize for not being more present here. I think it was the right decision to make the blog an 'opt in' space this semester, given our collective experiences. But, I do hope that we can 'meet' and chat here in these last weeks of the semester. I have added comments to the recent posts.

I've enjoyed reading your literature reviews. I've been impressed with the quality of your thinking and writing about the research you've read. I hope the examples on the website have been helpful. You seem to have been very successful in finding journal articles that relate to your research questions. I know that VPN and ERIC (could there be more acronyms related to this process?) can be a challenge (aka pain in the neck), but you've navigated them well. Your literature reviews are poised to function just as they are intended--to situate your questions about your practice within those larger conversations occurring in the field. You are engaging those conversations with a strong personal voice and a genune connection to your own work. Kudos!

I will post again soon with some thoughts about the sections of the paper that you'll be writing in the coming weeks. Enjoy your spring break!

Small Groups in Math

My research is going good. My questions is: What happens when I use small group instruction for students who need extra guidance in math?

Unfortunately, what I am seeing so far is how challenging it is to meet with a small group to re-teach concepts in math. I feel like the learning is constantly being interrupted because the students who are working independently are coming over to me and asking questions.

Does anyone have any suggestions on ways that you meet with a small group in your classroom without any interruptions?

Bloggin' At Last!

It looks like I am kicking off the posts for March...Here goes.

First, I'll start by sharing my research question:

What happens when I begin to participate in independent reading and writing with my students?

Basically, during DEAR time (silent reading time) and at the beginning of Writers Workshop, I am joining my students and free writing, or reading a books just as they are. Thus far it has been very interesting, because it is obvious that no teacher has ever done this with them before. They really have interest in what I am writing, and look forward to me sharing during "share chair". They also frequently ask me questions about the books I am reading during DEAR. I like when they do that, because it allows me to demonstrate an authentic summary, which I think is a difficult skill for a third grader.

My research in the classroom is going well. I am having much more difficulty finding articles that tightly relate to what I am researching. Is anybody else having trouble with this? I have found a whole lot of books that talk about things that kind of relate, but certainly nothing that hits the nail on the head. Oh well, I guess I'll keep on searching.
If anybody comes across anything that you think may be valuable to me, passing it my way would be greatly appreciated!