5 Finger Rule

This past week a parent, with whom I have a great rapport, approached me to talk about how her student was doing. She was worried because while reading at home, her student becomes very frustrated and throws tantrums. She said, "I catch her cheating and looking at the pictures! Then we get into an argument and I punish her."

_____________SCREEEEEECH!___________________________________________________

I immediately felt bad for my student. Reading should never be an argument, and I know my student is fully capable of reading. She is a "bubble kid"...you know, a kid on the cusp of being at grade level. She can do it, but just needs a little more practice.

Like a doctor or a car mechanic, I began asking questions to further understand the situation:

• What does she read at home?
• Who reads with her?
• Do you read to her?
• What does she like to read?
• How often is she reading?
• Do you have a homework routine?

Turns out, the books she has been reading are books that she enjoys. However, they may be too hard for her. I was not familiar with the titles, but gave mom a suggestion for finding out if a book is too difficult or too easy for her student. It's called, "The 5 Finger Rule."

Have the student pick a book they like, and read a page (preferably the first page, but really, any page will do). On your fingers, where the student can't see, keep track of their mistakes. If the student makes 5 mistakes within that page (or paragraph, depending on the length of the book), the book is too hard. If the student makes zero mistakes, the book is too easy. If the student makes 2-3 mistakes, the book is "just right". 

I also let mom know that we do "picture walks" before we read a story. Looking at a picture is not "cheating". It is a sign that the student wants to comprehend the story. It is there for clues to words she may not know. 

I also showed mom how to do "window fingers" before reading the page. Mom can then point out any vocabulary or sight words that her student is unfamiliar with and have the student use her window fingers to find the words.

I took Mom through an actual reading lesson using a book her daughter will be starting on Monday so she can see it in action. We talked about high frequency (sight) words and the importance of memorizing them. I reminded her that reading to her will help. I gave her my website with many different resources to use.

Reading should not be a stressful topic at home. I asked mom if she felt better now that she has some tools to pull out at home. She said she felt bad that she wasn't doing things right and stressing out her daughter, but she will try them and see how it goes.

I wish her the best! Hopefully this will put her daughter over the top to be successful!

 

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Mo' Pencils Mo' Problems

Well the school year has begun. I have not been posting as much as I would like to. New year, new kids, new school, new classroom, old stresses.

Having been in fifth grade last year, I had forgotten about how much pencils stress me out.

During my first year teaching first grade at my last school, my system was pretty basic. Their pencil was dull, they go and sharpen it. Yeah...dumb idea. As you could've guessed, they broke the electric pencil sharpener. Then they broke the new electric pencil sharpener. Then the custodian decided to dump said new pencil sharpener and ended up also dumping the plastic top that holds pencil sharpener together and it would no longer sharpen. *sigh*

My second year teaching I came up with the amazing idea that if their pencil becomes dull, they replace it with one in a cup labeled "sharp pencils". There were ten pencils at the beginning of the day for such exchanges. At the end of the day, I would sharpen the pencils. I failed to realize that several students brought exciting pencils and arguments would thus ensue the following day as to which pencil belonged to which student. *face slap to forehead*

My third year teaching I had practically given up on pencils and allowed mechanical pencils to enter the room. Little did I realize that first graders do not possess the skills necessary to neither keep needle sharp pencils from bare arms nor keep them from constantly breaking. *tear*

Each subsequent year thereafter pencils have been my biggest nemesis. I remember one year using a red Sharpie to write their numbers on them. That didn't work either.

Last year it wasn't a problem because fifth graders are quite the lofty bunch. They have hoards of writing utensils of all types. And this year I didn't want to come into my new classroom with my old problems. I racked my brain this summer thinking of ways to beat my nemesis.

And then it hit me.

I remembered seeing a system (that may work) years and years ago when I substituted in a first grade classroom. It seems so simple, and yet so brilliant. Here's how it works:

1. Students walk in the room and take a pencil from the "sharp" bucket.

2. They work. Pencil gets dull, they put it in the "dull" bucket.

3. They take a sharp pencil from the "sharp" bucket.

4. At the end of the day, pencil collectors collect ALL the pencils and put them in the "dull" bucket whether they are dull or not.

5. I sharpen them after the kids leave and then put them in the "sharp" bucket.

So far, this system is working. I also have to say at the end of the day, I'm not too stressed about pencils. I have a ridiculously fast pencil sharpener that I bought for $40 at Staples. Yeah, it's THAT good.