I hope by now you have visited your student's progress sheet, which is a Google Doc. As I conferenced with the students, I individually explained what their data means. For example, I went over the three categories from last year's reading SOL: nonfiction, fiction, and word meaning and usage. A passing score was 30 and the top was 50. I showed which area was the weakest so the student could focus on improvement in that area for this year's SOL. Some students could see there was one category that had kept them from passing last year, so, if they really work on improving that skill, it could make a big difference in passing this year.
All students have finished independently reading The Outsiders, and we broke it into three parts with a discussion day each week. Some students didn't finish their reading on time, and sadly they had go to the library and finish reading while we had discussions. I repeatedly tell them that not getting something completed snowballs consequences. I also remind them it's what holds them back from success. If you see late work in your student's progress sheet, please also remind them to change that habit! I copied and pasted the summary of our conference into their progress report comments, so you will see it there. Every progress report grade was mutually agreed on by the student and me. Every student should be able to explain to you why s/he has that grade.
I wasn't planning on showing The Outsiders in class, but they had worked so hard and the progress report time made us all feel a sense of closure, so I started showing it this past week. Their performance assessment to tie it up is to write the first five pages of the sequel. We will set a due date this week for that project.
I am pleased with what I see in writing. I've been providing nonfiction articles for them to read that are connected to topics in The Outsiders. They've been due on Fridays with annotations and a one page response. The goal is that they will learn how to find their own articles and write responses without my providing the prompts to get them started. Not only do the articles provide background knowledge for the novel, but these assignments strengthen their nonfiction reading ability, which is usually the weakest area for all students.
This week I revealed that the word collections they are doing will become word banks for their writing. When they revise, they will go to their word banks and choose words to work into their writing. This will not only increase their vocabulary skills, but improve their writing. It's also training them as they read to notice vocabulary more.
Studies have shown that teaching grammar in isolation doesn't lead to improvement. I'm indicating on the progress sheet individual weaknesses in grammar and mechanics and asking each student to look at review materials in that area. We discuss revision in whole class settings, and I then work with students individually. Even better, they are learning to provide meaningful feedback to each other to improve writing.
A pop quiz on The Outsiders using SOL-style questions showed a weakness in understanding and identifying theme, so on Friday we had a fun review of that with my reading the children's book Tough Boris by Mem Fox to them.
Students in my Intervention/Enrichment and Encore classes are also writing, writing, writing at the moment. The students share their Google Docs with me, and I can see their writing on my computer and insert comments for improvement while they work.
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