Blog Post 1: August: Tiffany Thompson: The Habit of Kidwatching

     Reading this article reminded me just how important kidwatching is for both the student and the teacher.  The author stated some information will stick with me as I plan assessments in the future.  I agree that record keeping is a “constantly evolving process.”  Several years ago, I kept a reading conference log on each child.  It was a great way to talk with students one-on-one and take anecdotal notes on concepts and skills each student had mastered or comprehended. It also helped guide future mini-lessons and provide more instruction where needed.  For one reason or another, I’ve moved away from conferencing weekly and seem to be doing more standardized assessments.  Now, I keep a folder for each child with more scores from computer generated tests and formal assessments.  I need to carve out time to find the contributions each child can offer to the classroom.

      I loved the time I spent working with students and getting to know each one individually through kidwatching.  The informal conversations/observations allowed students to feel more comfortable with sharing what they can do and they were more likely to take risks because there was no right or wrong answer.  I loved to hear students solve problems on their own or offer solutions to a friend.

     Reading this article has given me some ideas I plan to use immediately in my classroom.  I am going to have sheet of paper for each student on a clip board to write anecdotal notes.  I also plan to have rubrics ready that I can use during “read to self” time or other times when it is convenient.  I’m not sure if I will be able to observe every child every day, but with a clipboard nearby I will be able to see who I have/have not written notes on and do my best to touch base with all students regularly.