Maria Mallon keeps her work-over-time in a little different way - The Writing Book. While she keeps a final portfolio that includes a piece of work in each of the four genres and three pieces of work over time for each student, she also makes a booklet for each of her students and finds a time for them to write in it at the beginning of each month. In this way she can send home a work-over-time, a keepsake, that represents each month of the year so that families can join with their child to celebrate progress. The parents - and the child - are often amazed at how the work has changed across the kindergarten year. Maria showcases three booklets - three children - on her bulletin board, but in this entry I'll take a look at Connor's work.
In Connor's booklet in August he is able to draw a person but is not yet able to write letters and words to represent his thoughts. He can tell about the picture orally but does not realize that he can also write about the picture.
By November Connor is using the letters and sounds he knows to write words phonetically and also uses some of the sight words he has learned. When I went to school on the first day, I was frightened (vocabulary word from the Star Vocabulary Unit!) My grandma said, "Do not cry."
By the end of the year Connor is able to write his thoughts and feelings. He is able to write a story that has a beginning and an ending and has many details. Because he writes words that he does not know phonetically, uses many sight words and spaces, his piece can be easily read by an adult.
Connor's booklet offers a snapshot of growth from August until May that is fairly typical of many kindergarten students at Chets Creek. What a celebration!
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