March Currently

It's that time again.  I'm linking up with Farley! This may be one of her cutest designs yet. I'm always thankful for the opportunity to link up at the FIRST OF THE MONTH and for a GUARANTEED REASON TO BLOG!

Listening:I love this Pandora channel! Do you know it? It's often popular music, but usually instrumental!  I have told my upper elementary teachers and middle school teachers about it! They love it too. It allows me to stay focused, but also have some jams while I work.

Loving:  My husband gets a bad rap- cause I'm usually talking about him when he's not on my good list. But let it be known- I married a really good guy! And he puts up with SO MUCH from me! So I'm loving on him tonight!

Thinking: Oh it's bad y'all.  I was going to clean this weekend and I wasn't feeling well on Sunday... so there is still dust... still dog hair... and that bathroom counter... yeah... well... hoping some cleaning happens soon!

Wanting: Oh man! Ice cream is my weakness! But going to GET it is not something I am wanting. They really should deliver. I'd pay twice the price if it could just show up at my door...

Needing: Ugh. Don't remind me!

Spring Break Plans:  I'm so excited. I'm able to mix business with pleasure. Two days in a district near LA. It will be my first time there. Then the hubby and I are packing up the car to drive to New Mexico! We haven't been skiing in over 5 years.. and I can't wait to fall in love with him all over again-on the slopes!

Have a great March y'all! I need to believe that spring is coming.  I'm ready for time on the boat. Longer days and no more tights! I hate wearing tights!

Happy spring! Speaking of spring- it's time to change over my blog design too!

Friday Freebie: Transition Words

Google Search transition words- and there are a lot of lists! But, if we are thinking about our elementary writers- that list is not useful! Face it...transition words are so abstract! Kids don't "get" how to use them- let alone which ones to use!

I came home today and put together a FRIDAY FREEBIE  (on Thursday) that may help all my writing teachers out there!

I broke this resource into Narrative and Expository transitions and left a space for students to add their own. This would be a great tool in a Writer's Toolbox don't you think? Not to mention- that's a transition- fuel for a few good mini-lessons!

At the end of the file, I shared a great mini-lesson idea to help you teach these crazy abstract things!

Happy transitioning! Get your FREE file here!

How do you teach transition words? Will this help you? Please leave a comment and let me know your plans for its use! Don't forget to LIKE Leach's Literacy Training if it was my facebook post that brought you here!

What Can Teachers Infer About the STAAR test?

We are deep in data in my district! Sing with me... like Alicia Keys... those spreadsheets are on FIRE! So much to teach and so little time. But one thing we can infer about the STAAR test, is that we have to infer a lot! A lot, a lot, a lot! And there are so many WAYS that the test asks our students to infer.  Did you know? No wonder it's so hard... they don't just say... what can you infer... grrrr!

So ask those kids to infer... in all the same ways that the STAAR test does! Print your poster here!

Comprehension Questions for the Guided Reading Table

After reading a text at the Guided Reading table, it's time for students to discuss and enhance comprehension.  Creating those questions as a teacher can be a challenge.  Just like there are strategies to teach/support at each level (thanks be to F&P) there are also questions to support comprehension at each text level (thanks be to F&P).

Let's face it, it's kind of hard to think up questions sometimes, especially at Level A, B, C. It's also hard to make sure questions are cognitively rigorous enough.  You can google search and find these stems or you can use one we created in DC Public Schools.

Or download yours from my DROPBOX link! Happy Guided Reading teaching!

Writer's Workshop Portfolios

Do your students keep writing portfolios? Don't let the word portfolio scare you! If students are choosing pieces of writing and jotting a reflection on that piece of writing- check the box- that's a writing portfolio.

In grades K-5 in my district, we do a BOY, MOY, and EOY writing prompt. The prompt is modeled after the writing assessment students take in our state- the STAAR. Teachers meet in writing PLCs to talk about what they notice as a whole with student writing and what they might praise, teach and reinforce as a result.

These samples BOY, MOY, and EOY writing samples are part of a student's writing portfolio. Now, what about the reflection piece? Oh yes.

Students in 2nd-5th grade should be expected to complete a reflection on their MOY writing piece after looking at their BOY sample. Right?

I've uploaded a sample reflection sheet (which may look very much like the one from Beth Newingham, but her link will not download from her blog- so I made it myself).  The reflection may not be very deep for our young writers, and can certainly be more complex for our older writers, but the idea is students, in their writing portfolio, start to recognize growth!    I've uploaded it to my TPT store. It's FREE. And it's a WORD doc so you can certainly make changes to the questions so it will work best for your students.

And what do we know as teachers? How will students improve their writing? By writing MORE!

I like to do writing reflections after we finish a writing genre too.  You know, when the writing folders are just overflowing with drafts.  You can read more about that here.  Keeping in mind, a writing portfolio is not just a collection of pieces that were published during the year. Students can choose pieces for their Writing Portfolio for a variety of reasons, and some of them will be drafts still.

Currently February

It's that time again.  Thankful to my friend Farley who gives so many of us a REMINDER to blog at least once a month...

Listening: I just love this movie! Always have. Totally reminds me of my sweetheart. We watched it together several times in high school when we were dating and also in Alabama when he was in flight school.  It's a TOP TEN in my book! Next up... Officer and a Gentleman for this girl this Sunday.

Loving: AHHHH! I took the weekend to go to a retreat. It is a craft retreat- don't make fun of me- it is a "do whatever you want" and "relax however you like" kind of place!  It was fuel for my SOUL!
It was also the gift I gave to myself for my 35th birthday!  35 is going to be a great year!

Thinking: So on the flip side,  I can't help but feel guilty.  My husband leaves in a week for two weeks "in the field".  I probably should have been home spending time with him.... but whatever... I needed this. This is where I continue to talk myself out of feeling guilty... does is sound like it's working?  Oh well. I'm home now and ready spend QT watching the SUPER BOWL? :)

Wanting: I'm dressed and ready for a workout and am hoping I can do my workout outside today rather than at the gym. Hoping the weather cooperates with me. There is a lot of wind, but we call that resistance! #noexcuses

Needing: So much to do for Leach's Literacy Training this week and next week.  Not to mention all the work during tax season. Alas, breathe, and take it one task at a time, right?

Pageant Title: I'm sure if you ask my husband he could come up with a good one. Sadly, I cannot. Nor do I have the energy to sit and think on it! See needing above!

NewsELA: FREE Resource

Hey y'all... I am blogging from 30,000 feet... or something high like that.

When I fly, I read blogs, I search Pinterest, I do things I don't seem to have time to do when I am living my "regular life".

And at 30,000 feet I have a new resource for you! Don't you just LOVE free and easy?

Here it is folks...

Do you know about ?

It's a site for FREE informational texts!  Get it- News ELA?

Not only are there news articles that will be interesting to kids...

But there is this handy dandy differentiator for Lexile Levels too! Imagine the possibilities! 

And look at that cute little printer function... you guessed it! It shines it up and makes it ready for the copy machine too! 

Hot DOG!  

Happy Monday! 

Curently January

It's January (almost)!  We are in Michigan with family and have settled in for a rocking New Year's party- which will consist of watching the ball drop in our PJs!   We've never been big "go out on New Year's" people and this year will be no different.

I'm hooking up with Farley for her monthly Currently! Some months it's the only time I blog!

LISTENING: It is switching between the news and football! I will admit, I don't watch enough news- so the "year in review" show is really helpful! #that'sembarassingtoadmit

LOVING: We've had two weeks off work- two- glorious- fun-long-weeks home in Michigan! When we were leaving town, I made it a point to enjoy the time away! I even deleted work email from my phone! Being with my family has been wonderful! We spent the first half of the vacation with my in-laws and the second half with my parents.  I even got to see my BFF! Life has been good on vacation!

THINKING: Everyone knows that traveling is fun, but going home is always good! We will get a few days at home and still on vacation and I can use that time to unpack, put Christmas away, do the laundry, and just enjoy the remaining hours of this amazing vacation.  Have I told you I got two weeks off?  Sunday is going to be very depressing!

WANTING: So I got a new car for Christmas- and we took that car home with us to Michigan. Granted, it saved gas money, is much more comfortable than my husband's truck and it is better equipped to ride in the elements that Michigan presents... but it was a BRAND NEW CAR! And now it has dog hair in it... and snow in it... and it's just dirty! Thank goodness the husband promised me he would clean it if I allowed us to take it!  So that is what HE will be doing on Sunday!

NEEDING: This is about the time of a vacation where I start to think about the things I need to do when I get home. But I'm going to try not to think about it and will just enjoy some more time to sit in a chair and read a book! I did a lot of reading this vacation! Yay!

YES, MAYBE, I WISH: Pretty sure we have a ski trip planned for Spring break... and we are talking about taking our boat to the Bahamas again... in a dream world... I'd go back to Europe! Anywhere in Europe would be fine with me!

It's going to be a blessed New Year! Full of blogging... full of Leach's Literacy Training... and full of fun!

Wishing you a wonderful New Year! How do you celebrate?

Like Us on Facebook

Hey y'all! I hope you are enjoying some quiet time after the Christmas rush! I sure am! Today is going to be spent in my jammies! I am catching up on email, writing thank you notes, doing a few blog posts, and adding a few FREE files to Teachers Pay Teachers!

I wanted to check in with y'all to make sure you have LIKED Leach's Literacy Training on Facebook! Sometimes I don't have time to make a blog post, but will post things on Facebook instead!

Please take a second...
Click here... and LIKE us! 

New Year's Resolution- more blogging- and more FREE stuff for great teachers like YOU!

What's not to like about that? 

Merry Christmas Y'all!