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Starting School Series, Part 7: How many ways did I read today? A child’s perspective

Perhaps I was spurred on by my husband’s question, “So how many times do your children read on the first day? Have you ever done a tally?”

Maybe I was nudged by Frank Smith’s powerful words, “A child can only learn to read by reading,” (1975).

Or was it spending time with our first grandchild, developing in so many ways, so rapidly, that all I want to do is stop and gaze in wonder. She gives me a second chance to see the early years again – and to grasp how precious and fleeting those first years really are…  She inspires me to take another look at what parents and teachers do with children to build their oral language and later, their written language in reading and writing. 

So how many times do the children read on the first day? I count each opportunity to read in the previous two blogs and find 28 (15 in the morning, 13 in the afternoon). The number sounds like a lot but doesn’t give any other details. Ah! Why not describe the reading opportunities through the eyes of a child? To find out not just how many times s/he reads, but who was reading (individuals or group), what was being read and when it was read. After all, I’ve lived that first day with children for many years as a teacher.

There’s no time to waste. Let’s walk through the first day in a child’s shoes and read through a child’s eyes…

How many ways did I read today?

1.When I found the class list on the message board and read my name, I knew I was in the right room

2.I read my first name tag and stuck it on my shirt

3.I read my second name tag and stuck it on the backpack shelf

4.I read labels of things I played with in ‘activities’, Stickle bricks, Our Block Area…

First day, boy playing with stickle bricks

5.I read ‘Mrs Swan’ after watching her write her name on the whiteboard

6.I read my name on the name cards and stood up so kids would know me

7.I read the names on the big class list on the whiteboard, with the other kids

8.I read rhymes with the other kids after Mrs Swan read four action and nursery rhymes to us

9.I read my name on my name card again, then drew a picture of myself on it

10.I read the ‘class rules’ with the others after helping make the list and watching Mrs Swan write the list on the whiteboard

11.I read signs around the school like Boys and Girls at the toilets and Library

12.I read the titles of Little Critter Goes to School (Mercer Mayer) and Spot Goes to School (Eric Hill) when the teacher pointed to the words before she read the stories to us. She said that when we start ‘home-reading’ next week, we can take these books home to read with our families

13.I read action rhymes with the other kids and then we got to jump up and down in the Jump rhyme

14.I read the class news with the others after helping make the sentences and watching Mrs Swan write the sentences on the whiteboard

15.I read a new rhyme with the other kids as Mrs Swan put the words in the pocket chart for 1, 2 buckle my shoe

We had lunch

16.I read the book titles of No David, Boo to a Goose and Where is the Green sheep? when Mrs Swan pointed to the words before she read the stories – these books are for ‘home-reading’ too!

17.I read the days of the week with the class when the teacher told us how the ‘calendar wall’ works. She said we’d do the calendar first thing each morning morning

18.I read action rhymes with the others and got to stretch in Tall as a House

19.I read my name on a prepared name page and then drew a big picture of myself on it for Our Class Book of all our names

20.I read the names in Our Class Book with the other kids

21.I read the class rules (or ‘behaviours’) with the others before activity time. I read some books and then played with the teddy bear counters

22.I read the ‘Teddy Bears’ label on the maths shelf with my friend Harry and put the ‘Teddy Bears’ container in the right place

First day, girl drawing

We had afternoon tea

23.I read the titles of six easy books with the teacher and the class. I read some words in the easy books like ‘is, I, piggy and horse’ – more ‘home-reading’ books

24.I read my name after I wrote it on my ‘journal’ paper then drew my dog and wrote some words about playing with him at home. I like drawing and writing about my dog so I hope we do journals again tomorrow

25.I read my writing about my dog to the others in sharing time

26.I read the ‘Insects’ label on the maths shelf after the teacher told me, and then put the container of toy ‘insects’ in the right place

27.I read the names in Our Class Book again with all the others

28.I read the words and sang All the Fish…with Mrs Swan and the kids just before my dad came to pick me up

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I can’t wait to come back tomorrow to play in the Block Area, to sit on the big red cushions with a book in the Reading Corner, to start drawing and writing in my ‘real Journal book’, to see if I can read the Shared Writing that’s still on the whiteboard, to read the new message on our Message Board, to read Our Class Book again, to begin writing the letters on our small, individual ‘whiteboards’ and to see how the Calendar Wall works first thing in the morning.

Quiet reflections

Reading – still something of a mystery. How did I learn to read?

I remember sitting on the floor in the first grade classroom at Hopetoun Primary School, reading sentence cards: long, white, cardboard cards with black print and small coloured pictures. The sentences were about a small boy ‘John’, his sister ‘Betty’ and their pets, a dog ‘Scottie’ and a cat, ‘Fluff’. I remember that the sentences on the long, white cards were the same as the sentences in the first Reader: ‘This is John.’ ‘This is Betty.’ ‘John can jump.’ ‘Scottie can jump.’ And so on.

I remember the day in the group when I boldly said, “John can run,” for the card that looked like this: John can run. Mrs Tidey smiled and called me a “good girl”. So this was reading!

Soon, I was allowed to take home the real book that had all the sentences in it – the thin, reddish-orange, soft cover book with off-white glossy pages. I read my ‘John and Betty’ book – but I have no recollection of special delight or praise from anyone. This is so unlike my students today with whom I celebrate loudly and lavishly when a child realises s/he is really reading.

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Beginning teachers, Children talking, Children's books, Early literacy, Reading, Teachers, Writing

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Starting School Series, Part 6: Reading and writing on the first day – afternoon sessions

It’s easy to forget how quickly the ‘new children’ finish drawings, yet how slowly some eat their lunches. Such a contrast to the ‘end of year children’ who, just six weeks ago, took time with detailed drawings and gobbled their lunches so they could race to the playground.

Middle session: 11:30 – 1:30

Returning to the classroom
After lunch play, the children put hats in their bags, have drinks and move to the mat area.

Storytime
Children settle and listen to funny read alouds. These read aloud books are first day favourites – the stories are humorous, contain delightful illustrations, use lots of rhyme and big print makes it easy for the children to see the words: Mem Fox’s Where is the Green sheep? Boo to a Goose and David Shannon’s No David and David Goes to School

The children love David Shannon’s ‘David Goes to School’
and laugh at David’s antics (pg. 10-11, here).
One first day we read it 4 times!

Introducing the calendar wall¹
Reading, writing and number are key ingredients of the calendar tasks: from left to right… date, day, attendance and number of days at school. Children are actively involved: e.g. girls stand to be counted and boys stand to be counted for attendance. After the first day, the calendar routine is first thing in the morning and by week 4, the children take turns to be the ‘calendar person’ and lead the class through the calendar tasks.

The calendar wall is in the mat area for all to see and participate in.

 

Transition from Calendar to Class Book with action rhymes

Draw name pages for Class Book²
On the mat, the children read their names on prepared A4 papers. Each name is in big print at the bottom of the paper. The children draw large, colourful self-portraits on their papers. The completed pages go into an A4 display book to become a Class Book for shared, independent and home reading. Children are excited to read a Class Book about themselves, on the first day!

One teacher extended this strategy by putting the completed pages into youblisher for the children to read from the IWB. A great idea!

The children draw pictures of themselves
on the prepared pages

All the name pages/pictures are put into
an A4 display book for class reading.

¹Dates with the Calendar, p. 22,  and ²First Day Names and Portraits, p. 34, are detailed in Teaching Strategies for Literacy in the Early Years 

Activity time
Before free play ‘activity time’, the class reads the ‘expected behaviours’ on the board, that were compiled in the morning. The children practise the behaviours as they ‘play/work’ at blocks, duplo, pattern blocks, magnetic letters, small whiteboards, home/drama, puppets, collage, drawing, writing and reading.

Go slowwwww… to establish the routines for packing up. I help the children read the labels and put materials back in the ‘right’ places on the shelves.

Outdoor play and toilet break
Establishing orderly routines for line ups and exits helps keep children safe . Walking quietly to the playground helps the children understand their responsibilities in not disturbing other classes en route. Children play on the playground equipment (15 minutes), have drinks, go to the toilets, wash hands and walk back to the classroom.

Journals: drawing and writing (or as a Prep colleague says, ‘driting’)
To ensure the children write on the first day, I introduce ‘journal’ writing on A4 papers. Children write their names and draw and write about an experience or item of interest. It’s a perfect time to observe which children tackle drawing and writing with confidence.

On ‘sticky notes’, I record names of children who write their names and/or attempt writing words and sentences – and tuck the ‘sticky notes’ in my pocket for use later.

(The Botany books that become Journals, aren’t unpacked yet. Children will start using them tomorrow).

Sharing time
Some children volunteer to share their ‘driting’ with the class.


A child’s free drawing and writing


Some children draw and I scribe their stories.

1:30 – 2:00 Afternoon Tea: snack and play outside
Starting 10-15 minutes early helps establish the routine of children getting their food and going out for afternoon play.

Last session: 2:00 – 2:50

I’m at the line up area early to reassure children they are at the right spot.
Children put hats in their bags, have drinks and move to the mat area.
Mozart wafts from the CD player as children cool down and relax on the floor for 5-10 minutes.

Storytime
The children settle on the mat for read alouds of ‘easy read’ books. Beginning readers and those already reading, usually join in and read. Children’s comments about sentences, words and letters reveal their understanding about written language. Four ‘easy read’ books, with big print, rhythmical and/or repetitive language include: P. Horacek’s What is black and white? Strawberries are red, Flutter by, butterfly and Bruce Deegan’s Jamberry. Then children hear the repetitive sentence pattern in Mercer Mayer’s Just for You.


Children join in the repetitive sentence pattern of:
‘I wanted to….    but I was too… ‘

Maths activities at tables
Children explore and play with pattern blocks, beads, geo boards, puzzles, buttons and plastic chain links. They count/sort plastic coloured bears, dinosaurs and insects. They sequence numbers on a small 100 board. And they build shapes with plastic coloured polyhedrons.

Go slowwwww… to establish the routines for packing up. I help the children read the labels and put materials back in the ‘right’ places on the shelves.

Getting ready for home
Children sit on the mat with backpacks and check they have their hats, drink bottles and lunch boxes. We re-read the Class Book revising the children’s names. If there’s time, we finish up with a read aloud story and/or sing familiar songs, reading the words from charts.

2:50 Happy children meet their happy parents at the door after their first day, talking, reading and writing in Year One!

Quiet Reflections

Doing lots of reading, writing, drawing, talking on the first day allows me to begin to know the children: their interests, personalities, maturity, creativity, confidence and which children struggle with making sense of print.

At home this evening, I make notes in my reflective journal…
– use big book ‘Where’s Spot?’, struggling readers can take turns to lift the flaps (active participation)
– start small group ‘Co-operative Show and Tell’ to get George talking
– invite Dorothy to tell her ‘story’ to the whole class to curb her incessant commentary (a time to talk, a time to listen)
– model positive language to get Peter to talk nicely
– how do I get Christopher to do anything? (see Guidance Officer)

 The first day always reminds me of starting over again…

Coming next: Starting School Series, Part 7: How many ways did I read today? A child’s perspective

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Thinking of teachers on your first day…

“Every day comes bearing gifts. Untie the ribbons!”
(R. Schumacher)

To all the Australian children and teachers starting school tomorrow, or next week, for a new school year…

Have a wonderful first day! I’ll be thinking of you.

And to Northern Hemisphere children and teachers, I hope your new semester is going well.

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‘Give them wings…’

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Beginning teachers, Starting school, Teachers

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Starting School Series, Part 2: Sorting materials and starting the calendar wall

The old, brown, metal cupboard lurks at the back of my classroom. It is full – very full! Materials, made and collated over recent years, are stacked inside. The latch is stiff. On the second attempt to open the doors, I lean into the cupboard with my shoulder. The doors burst open. A mini avalanche of books, charts and cards cascades into my hands!

Yesterday focussed on the physical environment of the room – getting the class ‘areas’ organised and placing the furniture. Today is about sorting materials and constructing the calendar wall.

Sorting literacy and numeracy cards and charts

Sorting cards
Literacy and numeracy cards are sorted into broad categories:
* alphabet
* numbers
* days
* months
* colours
* sight words
* sentence starters
* high-interest word/photo cards
* CAFE labels

Literacy and numeracy cards feature big print. This enables children to read the cards from various parts of the room and is especially helpful for children seeking spelling support during writing times. The cards are A4 size, colourful and laminated to last.

Alphabet rhyme cards (Ants on the apple, Violent volcanoes),
colour cards and two sets of number cards

Yesterday, today and tomorrow cards for the calendar wall,
early sight words, sentence starters (I am…, I like…, We went…)
and months cards.

Some of the cards are bundled with elastics and bulldog clips and stored on shelves for easy access. Number cards are taped beneath the calendar wall and colour cards are pegged on the wires near the mat area. Alphabet cards will go up one-at-a-time, according to class interests, children’s names, curriculum and handwriting sequences, etc. over the next few weeks of first term.

Sorting charts
Literacy and numeracy charts are sorted into categories:
* alphabet charts for phonics and handwriting (will go beneath the whiteboard)
* word lists, e.g. people we know, time starters (various walls and wires)
* months of the year (will go beneath calendar wall)
* days of the week (will go beneath calendar wall)
* attendance chart (will go on calendar wall)
* songs, chants, poems (will hang on wires)
* action rhymes, number rhymes and nursery rhymes
* simple starting school rhymes (see picture below)

Literacy and numeracy charts feature big print enabling children to read the charts from the floor and tables in various parts of the room. The charts are A2 or A3 size, colourful and laminated. Four rhyme charts are pegged on a wire so they are easy to read from the mat area.

Rhymes, reading and a ‘rule of thumb’

Children, especially young children, need to move – and they need to move often.  Yet, we frequently ask them to sit for long periods of time for shared reading, shared writing and explicit teaching. Here’s a ‘rule of thumb’ that works for me:

Time a child can sit ‘fairly still’ = child’s age + 3 minutes

Thus, a Prep or Year 1 child may sit ‘fairly still’ for 8 – 10 minutes, but then s/he needs to get up and move – really move; jump, hop, wriggle, stretch!

Rhymes play a fun and purposeful role here as they give opportunities for children to move their bodies to the rhymes and at the same time, hear rollicking, rhythmical language. Reading is also involved; children see, say and hear the words simultaneously as I point to each word with a metre stick.


Rhythmical rhymes:
Jump, Teddy Bear, Tall as a House, Jack be Nimble

Starting the calendar wall¹

Back to work! The calendar wall takes shape from left to right – the same direction we read/write and the order in which we will do the calendar tasks:

* January chart at lower left corner (for children to touch/write on) 
* yesterday, today and tomorrow cards
* days of the week cards
* attendance chart
* 100 board
* 100 grid

The month chart is at the bottom left for L – R reading
and for children to reach and write on.

The January month chart is ruled up and labelled on large ‘poster’ card.

 ‘Yesterday, today and tomorrow’ cards are pinned/stapled to the board.
‘Blu-tac’ is used on the back of the day cards so they can be moved easily.

The attendance chart goes up next to the days of the week.
(Counting, adding and subtracting in a meaningful context).

The 100 number board goes up next.
It’s heavy and needs to be secured with strong hooks and string.
(Counting by ones, tens, fives and twos).

Great! I don’t have to do anything here.
The 100 grid is already painted on the hinged
blackboard in the corner of the calendar area.

Finally, months of the year chart, days of the week chart and number cards are stuck on the bottom half of the calendar wall, with blu-tac (see photo above).

In the first two weeks of school, a large chart of the children’s names and a schedule of days and times of specialists’ classes (music, computers, library and physical education) will be added to the calendar wall.

For the first 4-5 weeks I lead the class through the calendar tasks, then children take turns to complete the tasks as the ‘calendar person’:

* day, date, month, year
* counting children in attendance
* adding boys and girls
* subtracting absent children
* sequencing numbers for the number of days at school
* talking of days and times in sessions with specialist teachers
* recording happenings like a child’s birthday, a class event and a school activity

¹ (Read more about the Calendar Wall in  Teaching Strategies for Literacy in the Early Years  ‘Dates with the Calendar’ Pg. 22).


Quiet reflections

Looking around the room I reflect on what has been accomplished today…

Cards and charts, constructed, collected and collated over the years (some by me, some by my teacher aides) are sorted.

Some cards are displayed. Others, like alphabet cards and sight words, are more relevant and meaningful when the class is involved in placing them on walls and wires over the next few weeks, as we build literacy and numeracy displays together.

Almost completing the calendar wall is a relief – it’s a big job and it has to be ready for the first day with children.

Two more days to complete finishing touches before children arrive. But for now…it’s time to go home!

Coming next: Starting School Series, Part 3: Gathering hands-on materials and books

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Beginning teachers, Early literacy, Starting school, Teachers

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Talking Teaching

“Where have the holidays gone?”


“And where do I start?”

Although not full-time teaching any more, it’s still exciting for me to hear friends, parents and colleagues ‘talking teaching’ – to hear of their hopes, plans, ideas and concerns for beginning another school year.

In response to requests and encouragement from Early Years teachers, I will re-publish over the next 14 days, my Seven Part ‘Starting School Series’ of blogs for ‘old’ and new teachers of Prep, Year 1 and Year 2, in particular for Early Years teachers in Australia, who are busy preparing for their new school year.

I have revised and enhanced the series; clarifying, simplifying and reorganising each of the seven parts. A scanned photo from my Doctoral Thesis of the physical layout of a previous classroom, has been inserted in Part 1 of the series. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, all the photos have been edited and enlarged for easier viewing.

Here’s what you’ll find in the new Seven Part ‘Starting School Series’…

Part 1: Organising the physical environment

Part 2: Sorting materials and starting the calendar wall

Part 3: Gathering hands-on materials and books

Part 4: Finishing touches – in preparation for the first day

Part 5: Reading and writing on the first day: morning session

Part 6: Reading and writing on the first day: afternoon sessions

Part 7: How many ways did I read today? A child’s perspective

Copyright © More than Reading 2014

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Beginning teachers, Early literacy, Starting school, Teachers

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Trawling for ‘t’ words?

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Two tall tulips

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Two turtles talking, on a tyre

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Children's books, Early literacy, Nature, Photographs, Teachers, Teaching letters and sounds, Writing

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Words to inspire your early reader/writer…

Inspirational words to share with your early reader/writer extracted from Mary O’Neill’s poem: The Wonderful Words, mentioned in my previous blog, Snow Pellets and Raindrops…

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Early literacy, Reading, Teachers, Writing

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Snow Pellets and Raindrops: how words feed and groom our thoughts

“Snow pellets on my jacket are like raindrops on the roof,” I said to my husband.

Coral shovelling snow PM edit small
I had come inside after shovelling overnight snow off the driveway. But, the snow  falling this morning was different from any snow I’d seen before. The snow I knew was like big, soft flakes. This snow was like hard, tiny pellets.
“Snow pellets aren’t like raindrops,” he remarked with a grin.
“Okay. The sound of snow pellets on my jacket are like raindrops falling on the roof,” I replied.
“What if it’s a wool jacket?” he asked.

“You’re right. I can make it better. ‘The sound of small, snow pellets on my polyester jacket remind me of the raindrops falling on the tin roof when I was little.’

Or better still. ‘The sound of tiny, crusty snow pellets bouncing off the crisp, polyester shell of my jacket reminds me of the raindrops dancing on the tin roof when I was a little girl in the old mallee farmhouse.’ Yes that’s it, that will do.”

Our conversation continued…

“You know what this is like?” I realised, “It’s like talking about  being specific and adding details with my Year Ones when we are doing Shared Writing. I remember…”

Martha brought her toy bunny to school and wrote in her Journal: 
I have a bunny.
It is white.
It has a pink ribbon.

After our Shared Writing about ‘being specific’ and ‘adding details’ she said, “I could write like that about my bunny.”
“What do you mean Martha?”
“The details. I’ll do it and show you,” she said and went off to write in her Journal.
She shared her writing with the class. She read: “I have a soft, white, toy bunny. She has a bright, pink ribbon round her neck.”

But my favourite example of ‘adding detail’ was from Suzy. One day, completely out of the blue, she wrote in her Journal: “I brought my adventurous, big, brown bear and he got into lots of trouble…”. Sometimes it takes a while for new ideas to become a part of children’s thinking. And it’s a wonderful surprise when it all comes together.

But back to the snow pellets… “I think that crusty, pellet-type snow is called corn snow. It’s a term I haven’t heard for years,” he reminisced.

Corn snow on Boxwood PM edit small
Snow pellets/corn snow on Boxwood

Corn snow on Coral's wool hat PM edit small

Tiny snow pellets, or corn snow, on my wool hat

The more we talked, the more our words “handsomely groomed and fed” the thoughts in my head (O’Neill)…

“What’s also interesting is the contrast,” I mused. “The sound of raindrops dancing on the tin roof above my bedroom when I was a little girl put me to sleep, but here, the sound of the crusty, snow pellets bouncing on the crisp, polyester of the snow jacket wakens my senses. I stopped shovelling and put my arm out so I could see the snow pellets bouncing off the sleeve of my jacket and hear them pinging and singing as they bounced off my sleeve.”

The last four lines of Mary O’Neill’s (1966) delightful poem, ‘The Wonderful Words’, came to mind…

But only words can free a thought
From its prison behind your eyes.
Maybe your mind is holding now
A marvellous new surprise!

Come to think of it…

O’Neill’s words would make a great poster to inspire budding writers in the classroom!

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Language Experience, Literacy, Nature, Snow, Teachers, Writing

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