Questions from introductory day...

Questions...

How easy or difficult will it be to have one-on-one conferences with all the kids?

Can I invite others to conference with students? I'd like to set up a Google Doc for each class, so other teachers can conference with students, too. If I have the Google Doc, then other teachers can see where the students have been in research up to that point, so students are less likely to tell stories about what they've learned, or are currently learning. I invited Mr. Hillier (LMC), Mr. Goldstein (LA Dept. chair), Mrs. Smith, and Mrs. Bingaman to join me for one-on-one conferences. I put guiding questions on the GoogleDoc, so they can use it when they are conferencing.

What does the one-on-one conference look like? How can I make it easy for guests to conference with the kids? Mrs. Smith suggested Skype for her to conference with them. :-)

Is it okay for students to just read fiction? For this year, I'd say YES. I will try to help them see connections to "big questions" as they read, but to just journal what they're reading about at first. I have thought of one question I might be able to tailor as I read more... "What is so intriguing about dystopian society in fiction these days? Why are so many authors writing about it? What are the differences, and how has it changed over the past few years?" I will journal on the Kidblog as well, so students can see my progress, or my thought process...