30 Words or Less in their Shoes

This afternoon, I came home from a tutoring session all in a huff. I was at the library and the announcement came on that we have 5 minutes left before the library closed. We were at the celebration portion of the tutoring session where we reviewed the student's accomplishments today and accomplishments since the beginning of tutoring. In the middle of the announcement, the librarian in the children's sectioned hustled over to the light switch. As soon as the announcement was over, as if speaking to herself, she said "I hope everyone is out by the time I turn the lights off!" and stared at me. WHAT? I had 4 more minutes to celebrate! I was not checking out books, I was not loitering, I was celebrating! She could have been turning off the computers, throwing a book or two on the shelves, or straightening shelves before she left, but no, she was rushing me out! When I got home, I was threatening to write a letter to the editor, when my husband reminded me of the 30-Word Rant in the local newspaper.



But then cautioned me, being the english major in college and all.....it takes a lot of precise words and editing to summarize in 30 words or less.

Then I got all excited! (and soon forgot why I was so upset!)

When teaching my students with Learning Disabilties or those students on the Autism Spectrum, I use the Collaborative Strategic Reading strategy. This strategy teaches the students to use specific before reading (What do I know? What do I predict I will learn?) during reading (Click and Clunk, Get the Gist) and after reading (Wrap Up) strategies. For the Wrap Up, I challenge my students to use their Get the Gist notes to write a 30 word or less summary. At the beginning, it is very rough- many unnecessary words, and irrelevant information. With much guidance and scaffolding, the students are able to grasp this super higher level thinking activity! VICTORY!

So, I have begun the Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching by Charlotte Danielson




and am now going to attempt to complete what I ask of my students...a summary of Chapter 2-"Assumptions and Features of the Framework for Teaching" in 30 words or less....

Higher level learning is accomplished by "minds-on" learning. The framework does not endorse specific teaching styles, but gives guidance as how to analyze the practice of teaching and learning.

Woohoo! 29 words!