Monday, December 2, 2013

EMS Book Challenge: iRead

This week all the middle school students will be introduced to the 2013-2014 Book Challenge during their Language Arts classes.  This Book Challenge is called iRead and students are encouraged to form teams of readers and agree to read 25 "Must Read" titles throughout the months of December-March.  Reading Competitions will coincide with the NCAA March Madness Basketball Tournament.  Teams of students will compete against each other with questions that connect to the characters, plots, settings, and underlying themes of the stories.  This opportunity will allow for the students to not only grow as readers but also to be engaged and productive members of a team.  We would also like to thank many community members who have taken the time to help fund the purchase of many of our book titles.  iRead would not be possible without you......thanks!

Monday, November 18, 2013

It's time to get back to reading!

Today during my second grade TAG Time Intervention there were groups of students talking the Language of Literature.......Students have chosen a Book Club that they would like to be members of and together they agree on the pages to be read and then have discussions about the text.  We have modeled and practiced language to use when we are discussing books.





"We understand how important words are so we are making sure our conversations are meaningful and clear.   We really like sharing our book ideas and hearing what our book club partners have to say.   Book Clubs are awesome!"

Math All Stars!

If you would walk into a TAG Time Intervention at Community School on a Friday, you would observe teams of students working together to solve mathematical problems that are set in 'real world' scenarios.  We have declared Friday as Math All Star days!  From second grade to fifth grade students are talking the language of math and collaborating to find the answers to their grade level question.  Teams earn points for correct answers and friendly competition has motivated students to use their math skills to find the correct answers.  Some team names are the Square Roots, the Fast Math  Factories, the Math Deminators and even the Division Duo.  Math skills are being challenged and students are invested in the success of their team.  More to come on many more TAG TIme events!  

Thursday, October 31, 2013

"Thinking Out of the Box"

"Thinking Out of the Box is a lot of Brain Work!"    ~JOHNNY age 7- Mrs. Draeger's class at Yahara

"I really like the Brain Teasers we get to do!  Try this one:  Bambi did not have any shelter when the heavy rainstrom struck.  Bambi did not get a drop of rain on her.  How could this happen?"
~Nyllah age 7  Mrs. Draeger's class at Yahara

"We have a chance to read a lot while we do our Brain Teasers."  ~Lacey age 7 Mrs. Deegan's class at Yahara




Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Middle School TAG is happening!

Future Problem Solvers of America are here and walking the streets of Edgerton!   This week some students from grades 6th-8th were introduced to Future Problem Solvers of America.  FPSA is a critical and creative thinking program that incorportes students working together in teams to cooperatively solve futuristic problems and scenarios.  It requires students to analyze information and research for productive and reliable solutions.  The enthusiasm and motivation was evident as the students agreed to be part of the Edgerton team!  More to come as we get started on our first set of "problems".

Friday, October 11, 2013

Wisconsin TAG Conference

The past two days I have attended the State Talented and Gifted Conference in Wisconsin Dells.  Since the education world is full of acronyms, this is better known as WaTAG.  Along with over 200 gifted and talented educators from the state, I have been a part of valuable discussions and have revisited best practices in the field of TAG.  I am anxious to bring many new ideas back to Edgerton and implement them through our new TAG programming.  Among the most popular discussion topics were using the common core standards as the "springboard" for replacement practice in the area of high achievers and also increasing opportunities for critical thinking skills to be used and practiced.  Watch for future posts that will offer challenges to use your own critical thinking skills!  More to come......

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Future Problem Solvers of America

Soon to be coming to Edgerton Schools......Future Problem Solvers of America.  Students will benefit in participating in these problem solving scenarios and work together in teams to research, apply critical thinking skills, and evaluate progress now and in the future.  I will be attending a Future Problem Solvers of America training conference in Verona, WI October 2nd and 3rd.  After the training, students in grades 3-12 may take part in competitive and/or non competitive teams and collabratively work to solve problems posed that parallel our current society.  Students from all over the country take part in this opportunity and in 1997 a Janesville team was Grand Champions!  More information and exciting details to come soon.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Yahara Learning is Going Strong!

Starting Thursday, Sept. 26th, I will get a chance to work in Intervention groups with some of the students at Yahara.  Our group work will revolve around the curriculum area of Reading.  We will meet once a week for 4 weeks and then we will review the groups and may restructure for some Math Interventions.  I look forward to working with classroom teachers to challenge students to "learn beyond their limits'.  

Monday, September 16, 2013

Interventions Have Started!

It was great to have students walk in the door of my classroom again!  Today I started Interventions at Community School.  Interventions are done on a 5-6 week schedule. My plan is to offer a TAG Pull-Out Program to students who excel in three different areas of the curriculum:  Reading, Writing and Math.  I will offer accelerated learning activities with students that meet the criteria establishedd by our district.  After a "curriculum strand"is complete, the group of students may change and a new "curriculum strand" will begin.  Our goal is to strive to meet the academic needs of all students and this program will assist in accomplsihing this goal.   Please encourage your children to read and share the literature they have chosen.  More to come soon about "TAG TIme"......

Monday, September 9, 2013

Getting Started!

This week I have spent many hours analyzing data and reading test results from our District MAPS Testing.  Soon learning groups will be formed and I will get a chance to bring together students with like academic abilities and give them an opportunity to learn from each other.  First I plan to excel students in the area of reading, revisit effective discussion techniques and expose the children to new literature that may illicit thinking at a higher level.  Writing will be an integral part of our literacy workshops.  I look forward to posting highlights and curriculum developments as we get rolling.
More to come soon.....

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Happy First Day of School!

The 2013-2014 school year is off and running!  What a beautiful day to start this exciting year.  I do have to admit that I had a strange morning.  After 25 years of being a classroom teacher, it was rather odd not to have children coming in to my classroom this morning.  I stood out in the hallway and greeted a few students but they were not "mine".....yet!  I look forward to having students walk through the doors to my classroom.  I am busy looking at test data this morning so we can start making some decisions about the students that will need an altered learning plan.   Here's to a great school year and many days of "Learning Beyond Your Limits!"

Friday, August 9, 2013

Madison Conference

Recently I attended a Reading and Writing Conference in Middleton.  The key note speaker was Kelly Gallagher.  He was a fantastic speaker who reminded me how important it is to read like writers and write like readers. As I get ready to start working with a variety of TAG students in the reading and writing areas, I hope to use many of the examples he shared to effectively instruct my kids.  I also want to read his book, Write Like This.....a book that emphasizes how important it is to model effective writing and to use mentor texts.  I look forward to starting my new position and using a lot of old and new knowledge!

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Reading and Researching

The past two weeks I have spent a few hours here and there reading and researching different approaches to educating TAG students in and out of the regular classroom. Some authors that have sparked my interest are Richard Cash and Karla Wood Ray.   I have been very interested in some of the conversation pertaining to children's writing.  Karla Wood Ray has an excellent book entitled,  What You Know By Heart.  She reminds me to read as a writer and to write as a reader.  I really hope some of my reading with help with the development of my new position.

Monday, July 8, 2013

Science Fun!

Everyone can be a chemist!



K-8 TAG Interventionist

New Job Title:  I am excited to start a new position this fall as the K-8 TAG Interventionist for the Edgerton School District.  This is the first time Edgerton has ever implemented this teaching position.    I will be working with advanced learners during Intervention times and offering a variety of opportunities so students can strive to learn beyond their limits!  

Welcome to K-8 TAG Intervention

As the summer is flying by I am reviewing, refining and reflecting on TAG activities that will supplement the learning of TAG students.   My hope is to enhance the learning that will take place in the core teaching in each classroom and to work toward accomplishing growth in the students' education.  More news will come as the school year gets closer.