Noticings

I notice a difference between my class and others...not necessarily good or bad, but during a read-aloud from a speaker where all of the second grade classes were together, it just seemed that some of my students made more out loud comments than the others. Could this be from my read-aloud time where we share predictions, connections, and thoughts about our stories? I'm excited because I found a sequel to Gooney Bird Greene (thanks to Barb for getting me hooked) and am starting that today. I had the kids create response journals for during our read-aloud time to see if that helps, plus I'll be able to see their actual thinking or lack thereof.

In response to Ruth's comment - I am using the same colored groups as in Writing Workshop, but trying not to conference with same group on one day...I am using one notebook per group and using notebook paper and writing down what I notice, what they are doing well, what I taught, and any goals for the future. The kids seem to be making more comments to me about their reading and especially their reading outside of school, what they are doing at home that we do in class.

Cute story - one of my girls, after Christmas, talked about how she got "do-rags" for Christmas. She had worn one and exclaimed (she has a firecracker personality anyways) that the do rags are for when her mom doesn't do her hair. Fast forward to today, she asked me, if I knew why she was wearing one this morning? I responded, "because your mom didn't do your hair???" "No, she likes snowmen!" Duh, her do-rag had snowmen on it...What was I thinking!