Work-over-time 1

This time of year, Kindergarten teachers show students' growth over the year on their last standards-based bulletin board of this school year. Ms. Sasso's board showcases the work of two students, one with three pieces on the left side of her board and the other student with three pieces on the right of her board. Her commentary includes the remarkable progress each student showed in both reading and writing. Below are three samples showing Jonathon's progress over the year. In this first sequence Ms. Sasso begins by describing Jonathon's reading and writing as he entered kindergarten in August. He was just beginning to retell a story that he had heard several times and could identify many letters and sounds. In writing you can see that he was able to draw some shapes but was not yet writing letters. By December with a daily Readers' and Writers' Workshop Jonathon could easily retell a story with much detail and was given the DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment). He easily read the Level A book but was frustrated with a Level B book. He recognized all the letters and sounds. In writing you can see that Jonathon was beginning to understand how to use the letters and sounds that he knew to write words. He understood the use of spaces between words and even knew a few sight word.By late January Jonathon was reading through the levels, easily reading Level B books which is the end-of-the-year benchmark for kindergartners. He has continued reading and currently reads at Level H instructionally! In writing he writes enthusiastically each day and writes anything he wants to say phonetically, using many of the sight words he has learned. The sample shown is the first of a multi-page writing piece showing his stamina and fluency in writing.

Ms. Sasso's board is an excellent example of the progress that kindergartners make during the year when they are exposed to a daily Readers' and Writers' Workshop.