Sunday, July 31, 2011

Happy Summer!

I hope you are having a great summer! I am looking forward to working with you in the fall! Please check back then for more posts!

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Raz-kids Online Resource

It is hard to believe that it is already November. We have been busy in Room 207! At this point in the year, I would like to give you a new online resource that you can use to reinforce reading skills with your child. Computer-based activities are often very engaging for students and can provide needed extra practice.

I have signed each child up for their own raz-kids login. This is an online library that the FRIES has purchased for Doyon. It allows teachers to access a leveled library of online books. Raz-kids helps students improve their reading and listening skills by providing “just right” reading on the computer. Reading “just right” books (online or paper) helps children increase their sight word knowledge, comprehension, and fluency. Raz-kids allows students to listen to a book read for modeled fluency, record themselves reading or read for practice, and complete interactive quizzes to check for understanding. It also allows me to monitor each child’s progress through the program.

In order to access the website and your child’s personalized reading choices…
1. Go to www.raz-kids.com.
2. Type in the username (provided in the letter that was sent home or contact me for more information)
3. Find your child’s name on the chart and click on that symbol.
4. Enter your child’s text password (this will be sent home with your child or contact me for more information)

Additional Information:
-There is an incentive program for students embedded in the program.
Students earn stars in order to “buy” items from the Raz-Rocket Catalog in order to personalize their raz rocket. Some students are very motivated by this.
-I have chosen the level that I feel will most benefit your child to be reading at this time. From time to time, I will check in and change your child’s level as his or her reading ability progresses. Feel free to contact me if you have questions about your child’s reading level.
-We will also be using the program at school periodically for extra practice.

Please do not feel as if your child needs to spend a lot of time working on raz-kids. I would suggest about 10 minutes three times a week, but any extra practice is great. The more your child practices reading, the better reader he or she will become. That being said, do not feel as if you need to force your child to use raz-kids. Some children love the program and are motivated by it, and some do not. As I have said to many of you, simply reading aloud to your child is one of the most important things you can do to help your child’s reading and language development.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Welcome!

Welcome to the Room 207 Blog! Come back and visit for updates once the school year begins. Happy Summer!