Primary/Junior
School Research Assignment #3
Nov. 25, 1998

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From: John Mazurek

Hi Everyone,

Your PJ assignment is below. The first part is the letter I've sent to your host schools. Try to be at the school early on Wednesday. if your practicum was in a Primary class, since time will be needed to sort out which Junior classroom you'll be assigned to for this observation. Assume that you should visit first thing in the morning. I'll notify you if your school tells me that afternoon is a better time for your visit. Happy viewing. Just think, your note-taking will be a great model for the students. You'll share your findings in our next class, Dec. 2. Cheers. john

Memorandum

To: All Associate Schools and Teachers

From: John Mazurek, Instructor, PJ Experience, Toronto East Preservice Option, OISE/UT

RE: November 25 PJ Focus Day

Hello everyone. On behalf of the option, I would like to thank you for the time and care that you showed our students during the first practicum. We appreciate the extra effort that this required given the load of assessment and reporting that November brings. Through your actions, the candidates have seen what professionalism is all about.

On Wednesday, November 25, the PJ candidates will be in your schools for several hours of observation. (Note: these are the same candidates who worked in your school during the first practicum.) The focus of this visit is literacy in the Junior division, in particular, the writing program: modelled writing, shared writing, independent writing, and spelling. Please see the attached candidate's assignment sheet for details. Additional observation of the Junior reading program would be a bonus.

In line with this focus, we ask your assistance in placing all candidates in Junior classrooms for November 25. We assume that the morning will be the best time for observation of Language Arts. However, since timetables may direct otherwise and writing is often integrated with other subject experiences, please let us know if afternoon would be a better fit. Thank you for your co-operation in this regard.

Note that Wednesday, December 9 will be an OPTIONAL Focus Day for PJ candidates. If they will be visiting on that date, they will inform their respective associate teachers on November 25. Also note that all candidates who were in your school for the first practicum (J/I as well as P/J) will be visiting on Monday, November 30 to observe their associate's methods of assessment. (This is listed on our option's Web-site calendar.) Further details of this visit will follow from Harry Hunkin. A new set of candidates (those who will have their second practicum in your school in late February through March) will visit on the P/J Focus Days in the new year.

Again, thanks for sharing your classrooms with the candidates.

Sincerely,

John

Primary/Junior Experience
School Research Assignment #3

 Before Wednesday, November 25:

  1. Read chapter 5 from Teaching Children to Read and Write (the literacy guide for teachers in the Toronto District School Board (Scarborough)).
  2. Read the Ontario Curriculum for Language, Grades 4-6.
  3. On Wednesday, November 25, visit a Junior classroom at your school during Language time or when writing and reading is integrated into the learning/ This is your task there:
  • Pick one element of a balanced writing program (Modelled Writing, Shared Writing, or Independent Writing) that you observed during your visit. Describe how the teacher carried out that aspect of the program. Include:
  • The type(s) of texts or resources used
  • The introduction and routines
  • The skill focus
  • Revising and/or editing procedures
  • Follow-up, sharing, or assessment opportunities
  • Describe the methods by which spelling is taught in this class.
  • Describe the methods by which grammar is taught in this class. Give a specific example. (Ask the teacher if necessary.)
  • Keep notes so that you can share your observations when our class meets on Wednesday, December 2. You'll submit your notes at the end of that class.
Primary/Junior
School Research Assignment #3
Nov. 25, 1998

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