“Asking kindergarteners to conduct research, to revise their thinking and their work, and to write fact-based stories independently is pretty challenging work. This could be pretty messy. If we aim this high, we can assess along the way and provide support to those who need it, though. If we set our expectations too low though, we run the risk of never finding out who really can do this kind of work.”
“I think that a lot of my kids want to do this work. I don’t care if it’s a little messier. Let’s try this.”
And that attitude is what impresses me MOST about Heather Bitka.
I’ve spent the last several weeks co-planning and teaching a research-based writing unit with Heather, and we have been learning SO much from her kids. I’ve taken about four thousand pictures and consumed an entire notebook with reflections and connections at this point–it’s time to sit down and string together a handful of coherent posts about all of this, I know.
So, I hope you’ll drop by tomorrow and stick around through next week. I can’t wait to share what this talented teacher and her classroom full of inspired learners has accomplished and what I have learned from them along the way.
