The resource bin will provide you with the names and links to resources that are related to the topic of each newsletter.  In the resource bin this month you will find resources that touch on various aspects of classroom climate and community. 
    The first, "The Innovative Classroom", is a website which addresses the issue of organization, among many other topics found at the website.  The link that we have provided for this site goes directly to the Organization section, however you will be able to access the entire site from links provided at the top of each page.   
    The second is a book (highly recommended by our own Ellin!), titled Strategies that Work, which can be readily found at a bookstore or can be ordered through an online bookstore. 
    Finally, we have provided a link to an article that merges the concepts of practice and community, entitled "What is the Collaborative Classroom?"  This article is found on the website for the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL).




The Innovative Classroom
Organization Tips
http://www.innovativeclassroom.com/Class_Management/Organization_Tips/default.asp

InnovativeClassroom.com is dedicated to providing unique and original content for educators at all levels.  Their focus is authentic, hands-on learning through the use of theme-based teaching,including thematic units, lesson plans, center ideas, interactive bulletin board ideas, and a variety of other useful teaching tools.  Their goal is to become a station and hub for the exchange of teaching ideas.  In this particular section - Classroom Organization - is information on related topics, including:
… subject areas
… centers
… supplies
… student work
… and much more!

At the front of this section are tips of the week, which are ideas for organization that have been submitted most recently.  Use the column of topics on the left to navigate through other topics in this section. 
When you click on a link, you will find two icons regularly used.  Look for the magnifying glass to view ideas and the printer icon for a printer-friendly version.

Go through the rest of the site and you will find more links to ideas and information about the following umbrella categories: Lesson Plans, Thematic Units, Class Management, and a Teaching Toolbox.  Additionally there is a section where you can interact with other educators using a message board or a chat room. 
Visit this site regularly as they are constantly updating information and revising the site.



Strategies that Work
Teaching Comprehension to Enhance Understanding
Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis

What makes children want to read?  What lights their fire about engaging with characters in books?  What kind of physical and mental environments and settings are best to support children as they learn to visualize stories in texts? 

Harvey and Goudvis introduce strategies for teachers to model, including thinking aloud, sharing their own books, and engaging children in class discussions.  Teachers are also encouraged to give children time to practice the strategies to help them think when they read. 

Also included in Strategies that Work:
… more than forty K-8 strategy lessons for understanding text;
… ways to use short text, such as picture books, newspapers, magazines, and poetry to teach comprehension;
… ideas for choosing books that promote thinking and discussion;
… suggestions to better comprehend text in social studies, science, and other content areas;
… a wide range of authentic response options that promote engagement and enable students to monitor their own comprehension;
… examples of student work, illustrations, scripts of conversations, and a complete assessment interview to demonstrate and evaluate students' use of strategies.

     "Strategies That Work focuses on instruction that is responsive to kids' interests and learning needs. When readers use these strategies while reading, they enjoy a
more complete, thoughtful reading experience. Engagement is the goal. When kids are engaged in their reading they enhance their understanding, acquire information,
and remember what they read. And best yet, they will want to read more!"
- http://www.geocities.com/mrskteach.geo/store.html



What is the Collaborative Classroom?
M.B. Tinzmann, B.F. Jones, T.F. Fennimore, J. Bakker, C. Fine, and J. Pierce
NCREL, Oak Brook, 1990
http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/rpl_esys/collab.htm

In this article, the authors present a case for and a discussion of collaboration in the classroom.  According to their definition, a collaborative classroom is one in which teachers and students interact with each other with a mutual respect that both are invaluable in life of the classroom.  Further, the "interaction of the learner, the materials, the teacher, and the context" are crucial in affording students learning experiences that result from those collaborative interactions.

The article asks and explores three main questions:
… What is a collaborative classroom
… What is the research base for collaborative learning?
… What are other examples of collaborative instruction?

Included is also a full bibliography of references.

To read the article, go to: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/rpl_esys/collab.htm