"Julie Stover presented great ideas. I really liked the comprehension tool kit she created for her students. I am interested in creating the strategy cards and using them with my higher readers. I can see how beneficial the cards will be in developing my student's comprehension skills.
I also learned so many other ideas including the "improved" KWL chart, summarizing notes, and main idea circles. I am excited to go back and implement these ideas in my classroom."

Agree! The strategy cards would be great to use with higher level readers in kindergarten. I, as well, learned the many new ideas as you. Had not seen the new "improved" KWL chart. I use KWL charts a lot in kindergarten. I will use the new version from now on!

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I quickly learned last year that Dr. Pratte has a vast amount of knowledge about the brain and it is just a privilege to hear her speak on the topic. Dr. Pratte really provided background on different disorders and possible interventions. She really emphasized a critical point of intervention vs. remediation. I appreciate how willing Dr. Pratte is to share all of her resources and suggestions for possible helpful professional texts, websites, etc. I was previously unfamiliar with some helpful websites Dr. Pratte suggested in relation to speech and language disorders, such as earobics, hearbuilder, and dragonspeaks. Her handout on the multiple intelligences and active verb suggestions for higher level thinking will be something I will refer to frequently during planning and instruction. Additionally, a significant number of the facts that she shared about ADHD really made me think, such as 35% of students diagnosed with ADHD never finish high school and that over 40% of untreated boys with ADHD will be arrested for committing a felony by age sixteen. I also want to share some of the slides and visuals Dr. Pratte shared with us about the importance of sleep with some of my parents on Back-to-School night. I wish I could have had more time to listen to Dr. Pratte speak!

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Joan talked about how assessment has progressed in her district to really offering a more comprehensive viewpoint than before. Her district started implementing the workshop model after some training. It was helpful for me to hear how Joan’s district has grown in their RTII efforts. I will take away the idea of the assessment wall that Joan talked about and correlates with chapter five in the RTI book. I enjoyed being able to look at a sample assessment card of a student to see how they keep track of assessment data. A blue card is used for a student’s reading data (benchmark assessment, comprehension check, 4Sight, reading levels, etc.) and a yellow card is used for a student’s writing data. They use a special code (different coded stickers mean a child is receiving reading support, etc.) on the back of the cards to note services, etc. specific students are receiving. I appreciated hearing the different interventions done with K-3 in her district and Joan really emphasized how critical professional development is to school progress.

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I attended last year's institute and saw Charles Fay. That year I had a tough group of kids. I wish I had had these strategies last year. I spent last summer working on the Love and Logic philosophy. I used it this year and IT WORKED! I enjoyed Chris and Aimee's session and got additional ideas to add to my toolbox. I was so much less stressed and my kids had to be happier. Thanks.

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Dr. Dewitz really shared some enlightening thoughts about the use of DIBELs in our school. I continue to feel that we rely too heavily on this one single assessment. I will do all that I can to assess my students in the classroom in an attempt to paint a larger and more reflective picture of their needs. Using DIBELs as a "be-all-end-all" will not help our students and providing specific DIBELs driven interventions only teach our students to do well on these tests, not to be better readers.

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"My students had a writer's notebook last year, but that was only because a colleague attended a workshop and came back with the idea of using a writer's notebook, and I thought, "okay", I'll try it too. Each of my students had a writer's notebook but I never had them use it properly or enough. I now have more ideas of what to include in the writer's notebook, and it will be goal to use it A LOT more this coming school year."

I have used writing notebooks for three years. Every year, as I get more ideas, they get better. I now type up and give my students important resources that we discussed through our mini lessons. They use these resources to help them become writers. This visual also allows them to transfer concepts. Our district also uses mentored text. I have thought about somehow including a resource related to these mentored texts and always having these books available to students. That was one thing I took from this presentation. The students used these books during writing.

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"Holly and Steve provided simple solutions and PLANS to implement in the classroom to improve vocabulary. Steve was able to show a simple way to help students create their own outline from a chapter. Both people were able to show the importance of developing a relationship/understanding of other's interests to help develop that bond between teacher and student."

I agree! We have become so focused on the curriculum and skill development that we have gotten away from the essential importance of connecting with our students!

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"This session was so informative. I appreciate the list of resources and the fact that they are all listed in one place on Erik's wiki. I am excited to start using some of these tools in the next school year, as I see such benefit from using them. These tools can easily be used to differentiate instruction."

I also plan on using some of them for differentiating instruction. What a great list of resources!

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"I first introduce the two types: in the book and in the head question. Later on in the year I discuss the four types of questions. Another idea would be to teach the four types of questions to your higher level guided reading groups. "

I teach fourth grade and I agree, Sara! The students start with what's in the text and citing anytime the have have a RT, TS question. Then we move to the AY and OYO questions. I create with think alouds, then we create whole group, small group, partners, then they're ready on their own! I think you'll be surprised to see how fast students can learn to reflect on what makes a thought provoking question.

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"Writing In The Digital Age Website: http://web.me.com/mlehman/Digital_Writing/Welcome.html
Digital Writing Links: http://www.diigo.com/list/mlehman/writing-in-a-digital-age
Class Website: http://www.cysd.k12.pa.us/education/staff/staff.php?sectionid=406"

Thank you, Mary, for sharing your common sense approaches to put our writers in the 21st century setting for writing! We have accepted to teach writing through The Writing Academy. Now to mesh digital methods to the practices we are paying to implement will have to come with time and exposure! It'll be a process and a product!

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