Quotes from last week!

When I asked students what made them a good critical friend here was some responses:

* I told the truth.
* I got better at speaking
* Listening while the other person talks.
* Taking turns.
* Asking clarifying questions.
* Talked quietly
* Listened

Here are some of the goals students set:

* If I get stuck on a word I am going to try Flippy Dolphin (change the vowel sound).
* I am going to do word work today so I can sound out words and read them.

Off The Wagon...

Wheels fell off the wagon of my action research the past 2 weeks. With Thanksgiving approaching and the hustle and bustle in the air I did now allow students the time to meet with their critical friend.



However, this ended up being a powerful piece of research. Through my observations my students who are of higher ability seemed to lack purpose and those of lower ability seemed easily distracted. These observations led me to this question: "Is it the relationship with the critical friend that is driving positive behavior and rigor during Daily 5 or is it the actual goal setting?"

What would be the next step to find an answer to this question? I think the kids could tell me. At the end of the upcoming week I am going to pose the "Why?" question to the students and have them verbally answer in regards to their critical friend.

Prezi

Mid-Action Summary

My analysis falls into 3 categories.

1. Student observation- Observing students set their goals with the CF has been a wonderful experience. Students are very intentional about asking clarifying questions. This 1 minute DAILY conversation (the students begged to meet with their CF everyday) has turned the room into a safe place of differences and community. Students have progressed to using our CAFE strategies bulletin board to set goal and areas I have suggested in a small group. Students spend more time on task the day when we write down our goal their goal. When students report after DAILY 5 they are very honest about their progress. One student said, "I am a better reader today because I stopped to check for understanding." His CF said, "How did you check for understanding?" These are the sort of conversations that tell me that students ability to reflect and understand their own ability is increasing.

2. Student rubrics- Students report in their survey (I have students complete a survey the last day of every week) that they enjoy meeting and talking to their CF. Some report that they need to get better at listening and asking clarifying questions. All students report that they are a good CF.

3. The teacher- I have learned to love CF's as part of our daily routine. Students love making the connection with other students and sharing the great progress they are making. I still have not found it necessary to change students' CFS.

Clarifying Questions

This week we focused on asking clarifying questions and giving feedback. I introduced giving feedback through a writing lesson using play dough. Students created a pencil holder. Then, they chatted with the students around them about how they could make it better. Students gave and received feedback. We saw that every one's creation was different but use able and the importance of giving feedback. If you do not give great feedback then you are not challenging your peer to do their best creating.

Clarifying questions was taught and practiced this week. Students used the prompts: "I think..." "I know..." "I wonder..." To better help themselves and their CF understand their goal.

I feel like we are in the full swing of things and the kids long to have a CF conference. Now, if their teacher, allows for adequate time for meaningful conversations to happen is when the learning really takes place.

Teacher Notes

"Mrs.Thomas! We forgot to meet with our critical friend! I have to meet with them before I can start Daily 5!" This was a quote of one of my tier 2 students. On Thursday I forgot to have the kids meet with their CF before DAILY 5. They became so in tune to setting goals together and dialogue that THEY COULD NOT begin with out this component. This tells me that the CF piece of Daily 5 has a value and a purpose for my students.

Continuing...

This week I heard awesome conversations between students. Students were using our CAFE bulletin board to set Daily 5 goals for themselves. One student even said, "Mrs.Thomas I work hard when I know my CF will ask me what I was doing." Another student said, "Mrs.Thomas, I am going to practice stopping and reading again." Students practiced writing their goals before meeting with a critical friend and then sharing them verbally. The last day of the week we practiced thinking the goal in our head and then sharing. Students also evaluated themselves on the CF process.

Furthermore, students brought up their CF during their Goal-Setting Conferences. Parents were so excited to hear about the interaction their child was having with other students. Also, the first graders had such an easy time participating in the goal-setting because they had been practicing setting goals with their Critical Friend.

The Themes of the Right Answer...

A Pause in the Action

I have not been consistently implementing my action. I have found that time is limited and transitioning is hard. Instead of having 2 meetings a day I am going to transition to 1 meeting a week. Students will meet with their Critical Friend on Fridays to discuss their work of the week and create a goal for the following week. Instead of having students create a hope for the day and reflect they are going to do the action backwards.

Friday: Students will share Word Work, books from their book bin, and a reflection of Listen to Reading. They will work together to complete a rubric. Then they will write a goal for the following week.

Monday: Students will review their goal with their CF.

The Hard Lessons

I tried to stick with my Adam Sandler movie clips and find one of the Grown-ups. In the movie the grown ups the kids are at a cabin and make phones out of paper cups.

We made paper cup telephones in first grade today. The reason we made paper cup telephones was 2 part: 1) Practice taking turns listening and speaking; 2) Work with your CF to build paper cup telephones. After the phones were built we brainstormed rules for what kinds of communication should happen through a phone. Students then shared their Read to Self goal with their CF via paper cup phone.

I have had students working with their CF whenever partner work has become available this week. The kids are so excited to see their buddy and I noticed a bond being formed. The first part to having a positive CF experience is establishing a relationship built on trust.

At the end of each lesson I was going to have students complete a rubric stating how the experience went. The rubrics are so hard for students right now and so I decided I am going to wait until next week when we are in the full swing of things to start that process.

One of my biggest observations is that all of these peer activities are very challenging for one of my students who is labeled OHD. She melts down every time she has to work with her CF. This student is one who I am taking anecdotal notes about daily as part of triangulation.

How does the implementation of peer conferencing effect student meta-cognition skills?

After much thought, grueling research, and analyzing, question, re-analyzing, and re-questioning my research and NEED I am excited about the question: How does the implementation of peer conferencing effect student meta-cognition skills?

I am addressing this question in my research and classroom based on the fact that I feel like my students engage in so many meaningful activities throughout Daily 5 and are given little opportunity to share them.

The new book written by the sisters implements a teacher conferencing plan focusing on the acronym CAFE. C=comprehension A=Accuracy F=Fluency E=Extending Vocabulary. Using research around the idea of a Critical Friend, Descriptive Feedback, Peer Motivation, Daily 5 and CAFE I am going to implement Critical Friend Peer Conferencing.

Throughout 2 weeks we will implement phases of Daily 5 embedded with lessons of building peer collaboration and partner work. Teaching students how to interact with a peer is going to be the key to the success of the action.

With implementing this action I hope students are increasingly aware of their strengths and areas to grow and FEEL SUCCESSFUL at where they are at.

I hope they feel like Nemo everyday.

Sticking with Billy Madison!

My vision and DREAM is that students will feel safe to take risks. Billy had never seen a blue duck before so he took a risk and drew a blue duck. I want my students to think critically about their learning and make connections. My hope is that each student will walk in everyday and be engaged, motivated, and positive.

To accomplish this goal I must set the tone and provide students with tools and resources that are appropriate.

I can't wait!

Sometimes I Feel Like Billy

Sometimes I feel like Billy Madison. Staring at the school bus with great expectation only to have it drive right by. Why do I feel like that? In working through my action research it seems that I easily become so excited by a source or idea only to later have it let me down.

Currently, I am switching my research from motivation to student-centered reflection. I think my question is evolving once again to, "How does student reflection motivate students in language arts?"

Welcome!

You will find comments and reflections on this blog as I struggle through my action research. Will students be motivated by the opportunity to organize their work? What will be the best method to encourage participation? What do the experts say? Stay tuned!