I have a feeling that some of you might be thinking I am crazy for even putting CAFE and 6th grade in the same sentence. I just finished The CAFE Book by The Sisters this evening and I am already so excited about implementing it in my own classroom in 2012! I took copious notes in my notebook and I cannot wait to get my CAFE Menu Board set up this next week when I go up to school to get ready for the semester. I have actually been doing some serious uploading to my Teacher's Notebook store already with some CAFE Headers that you can use to create or update your own CAFE Menu Boards in your classroom. I know this does not make much sense to you if you have not read either of their books. However, if you teach K-6 literacy or language arts, I highly suggest you read them. Trust me, you will not be disappointed!
Tomorrow, I am going to be working on getting my different binders (or as the Sisters call it, their Pensive) together for my different classes. I am planning on doing a whole post on that with pictures in the next few days.
I was also wondering, do you currently use the Daily 5 or CAFE in your own classroom? Any tips for me as I implement them this semester with my kiddos?
Hi darling! I'm embarresed to admit I never actually read the book (because I thought it was targeted to the lower grades) but I think I got the highlights of it from reading all the blog posts about it.
ReplyDeleteMy general philosophy is that kids just need to read more. I treat my kids like adult readers. They'll never become better at comprehension skills if they don't read more. Which is why I have independent reading for 30 min. daily. After the read they either complete a response starter or turn to their study buddy and orally summarize for them what they've read.
My focus is always READING!!! I don't do the tiresome activities to go along with it. Adult readers wouldn't want to do it so why would kids/teens?!?! I treat the kids the same way I'd want to be treated as a reader and it really seems to work.
I have the reputation of turning reluctant readers into avid readers because I actually let them read :) that's about my only secret!
I try to match their interest to books and just let them enjoy it.
Less structured instruction and more reading!!!! Have you read Readicide? and The Book Whisperer? that's me!!!!!
Anyway.... I've been meaning to give you my skype user for a few days now so we can talk "bussiness" :) haha look me up mor.edri
and lets get thiings rolling. :)
❤ Mor Zrihen ❤
A Teacher's Treasure
Hey Katie!
ReplyDeleteDo you currently have a reading curriculum? If so, the only thing I will mention that I struggle with (4th grade now instead of 6th) is that it is very difficult to find time to do CAFE with another curriculum. :( I love the CAFE and we do Daily 5 but there is so little time to do it all!!!!
-Katie
www.buildingahouseoflove.com
Hey Katie,
ReplyDeleteCongrats on implimenting this program in 6th! I used a scaled down version "Daily 3" in my room but don't really fully implement it the right way. We have to follow the district's initiative to have 90 minutes of ELA, and have to implement learning stations. I'm having a hard time trying to figure out what exactly works for me. I'm hoping that reading all of your successes will help!
Elizabeth
That was me, by the way. I'm trying to figure out how to change my adminstrator email account without losing all of the blogs that I follow. NOT WORKING.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth
Fun in Room 4B
I also do the daily 5 (well the daily 4 really because I don't do listen to reading) in my classroom and am doing some elements of cafe. Mostly the notebook and individual and group conference thing. I can't actually do the full on cafe board and flexible skill work because the reason I "get away with" doing my own read aloud and not the basil is because I still follow the skill they do on the curriculum map...
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