Getting Ready to Teach Next Year . . . this article sparks some thinking and discussion about things to think about as we begin planning for next year.
We are open to the public during the current shutdown please see contact information below:
General information: 313-827-3006 or communications@dearbornschools.org
Social emotional hotline – 313-827-8500 or dss@dearbornschools.org
Tech support – 313-827-8400
Human Resources & Student Services – 313-827-3068
Special Education – 313-827-7050
Bluford books provide high-interest reading with low reading levels for some of our more struggling readers. Bluford has given readers free access to their books until June 19th! This is an excellent opportunity for our students to choose independent reading books that are accessible.Here’s how to access them: (please share with students)
“Prior to today, a free two-week grace period applied to all new students in the Learning Center. Starting now, that grace period will extend through June 19th. If for whatever reason students are unable to get automatic access, you can manually enter this access code for them (or have us do it for you): 31GJ-A9G1-FF8E-NUV5The code gives students TOTAL ACCESS, which includes Vocabulary Plus, Ten Steps Plus, English Plus, and ebooks of the Townsend Library and the Bluford Series, along with numerous other features. All of this content is hosted in the Learning Center. You and your students will each need an account to get it. Get yours here.”
Students can access over a million books through the end of June. It’s important to know the title of the book when searching. Remember, practice is how we will make gains toward our school goal of 1200+ by graduation! Happy Reading FHS! https://archive.org/details/nationalemergencylibrary
The Dearborn Public Library has set up a way for residents of Dearborn/Dearborn Heights to remotely register for temporary Dearborn Public Library cards. These cards will allow access to all Dearborn Public Library electronic materials. Instructions and highlights of available eResources is available through the following link: https://dearbornlibrary.org/wordpress/need-a-temporary-library-card/
This question has been a popular one for the past few days. Please post these sites to your blogs.
Student can check out books from Dearborn’s Public Library system: https://dearbornlibrary.org/wordpress/books-movies-more/emedia/ They must have a library card. The library is working on a plan so that students may obtain a library card virtually. Stay tuned to the FHS blog for more infomation: https://fhs.dearbornschools.org/
For free Kindle Books visit: https://ebookfriendly.com/download-free-kindle-books/
Both Overdrive and Hoopla can be downloaded to your phone or tablet: https://www.overdrivecom/ or https://www.hoopladigital.com/
Open Book is another resource – sing in with your Google or Clever account: https://openebooks.net/getstarted.html
This is the question that we hope to help students answer by the time they leave high school. This article in Education Week, once again, reinforces the need for academy models in schools. Students truly don’t know the plethora of work opportunities available to them, “It’s not about career advice in primary [grades]; it’s about bringing the world to life.” https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2020/01/22/students-dream-jobs-out-of-sync-with.html?cmp=eml-enl-eu-news1-rm&M=59026218&U=1729063&UUID=679304fcdb358317e9526d4b46c48eae
Here’s what I’ve been receiving: life-improving, useful resources for 1) finding complex texts for our students to read, and 2) teaching them how to read, write, and talk about them . . . more.
By John Spencer
A few years ago, my son opened a Google Document and started typing. I asked him about it and his eyes lit up as he described the shared story he was writing with classmates. This was the first day of summer break but he was choosing to write for fun. It might not sound like much but it’s an example of the tiny miracles that happen in classrooms all the time. My son fell in love with writing in Ms. Reddiger’s class. He spent a whole year getting up early and finishing his chores fast so that he could write a blog post or do a story on Storybird. He viewed himself as an author because of his teacher. more
Hi Team!
During PD this week we explored our own reading processes in order to uncover ways that we might better apprentice our students in becoming expert readers of the content we are teaching. Based on the analysis of our own reading processes, I’ve updated the reading strategies list. Remember, this is not exhaustive. Share with us your expert ways of reading!
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1El7STtRbsIR-Gz-rh1KyW2TJe2vSLCA2Ul9ZUEF70zc/edit?usp=sharing
Common Lit is a resource of which some may not be aware. However, they offer a plethora of resources many with SAT-like questions aligned to the standards. Today, I received an email reminding me of this powerful resource so I wanted to pass it along to all of you. Resources are free! It evens tracks student data! Teachers can choose standards to assess and even level text.
The link below will take you to examples of texts that feature people who have changed the world; there’s much power in that!
We truly have the best job in the world! I want to thank you all for another amazing year at FHS and wish you a safe, relaxing summer! I leave you with this thought . . .
What are teachers saying about teaching infographic – https://wileyactual.com/k12/pdf/for-the-love-of-teaching.pdf
Reading and writing conferences are incredibly important in building a student’s literacy identity. Conferences remove them from being just one of the “crowd” in the classroom. Students become the only one in the classroom and their individual needs are being met. “Getting at the Heart of Conferring” reinforces the ideas that many are already implementing. If you aren’t conferring with students, consider adding this very important formative assessment routine to your classroom practice next year.
Getting at the Heart of Conferring: Empowering Readers and Writers
Like anything, the more you practice, the better you’ll be. This summer, grab a lemonade a good book and find some shade, a swimming pool or even a beach and read two good books! Below are the summer reading expectations for next year. SSR+ is part of our school culture so get a head start on next year!
It’s often difficult to find text that pairs well with what we are teaching. Read Works comes through again with some excellent resources. It appears that the reading levels only go through 8th grade, but don’t be fooled. Many of the texts within the set go far beyond that, so be aware of the Lexile levels. There’s a great text set called “Profiles of People with Different Careers!”
https://www.readworks.org/find-content#!q:/g:/t:0/f:0/pt:AAD/features:/
Here is a tool to consider when having student analyze ideas across text sets.
Read the entire article, by Smekens, here: https://www.smekenseducation.com/Track-Multiple-Ideas-Across-a-Text.html?utm_source=2018+Literacy+Retreat+Session+Drip+4&utm_campaign=2018+Literacy+Retreat+Session+Drip+4&utm_medium=email
This article is worth reading! The approach they took is much like our approach!
A new report on the adoption of Reading Apprenticeship at Pasadena City College (PCC) published by Equal Measure found that teachers reported Reading Apprenticeship “helped them better connect with their students” and “brought structure, guidance, and improvement” to their practice. Students “became more resourceful and empowered to lead their own learning” once given the tools to access the materials on their own. Read the report here – https://www.equalmeasure.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/PCC-WestEd-Vignette_FINAL_011018.pdf
Did you hear the news? ReadWorks “Article of the Day” is providing supports for struggling readers including ELL and Special Education. They now have audio versions of the articles so students can “hear” the reading fluently as they follow along. There are also translated versions, but nothing in Arabic yet. Regardless of your students’ needs, ReadWorks provides us with more, leveled resources to support their needs.
John Spencer