That's what it's all about...

As I field test, I make modifications to the strategy as a result of how the students respond. Although the field test group is a representation of our students, we must still make adjustments in our individual classrooms and sometimes even with individual students. I just love it when we are able to identify how we need to tweek the strategy during develop time. As I have said before, you have to make the strategy work for you and your students. As long as the essential thinking and critical attributes remain the same, it's all good. As we know, 5th grade is departmentalized. When choosing strategies, we try to choose strategies that can be applied across the content areas. Today, as we were taking the strategy to TAKS format, we used a TAKS reading release test. During develop time, Mrs. Moore asked how this would look in science. Unlike reading, the "know" step is the most important thinking that occurs in science. We pulled up the science release test, and worked through it together. We were excited to have decided how the strategy would work when appplying it to TAKS format in science. When these collaborative aha's occur, I get that same warm, fuzzy feeling that I used to get in the classroom. :)

Where has the time gone?

WOW! I cannot believe that the first semester of school is almost over. Our second year as a TAP school has proven to be a little less painful than last year. :) It's amazing how much we have grown in a year and a half! We are seeing great things going on in the classrooms. We are currently in Cycle 2 which we will finish up when we come back from Christmas break. I do want to remind everyone that just because the cycle is coming to an end does not mean that we will stop using the strategy. As we have discussed several times, it may take some of our students longer for the strategy to become a true thinking strategy for them. Hang in there and know that you are doing an awesome job!