Kate McCook

She/her. (HS English) Teacher. Mom. Wife. Ally. Learner. Runner. Reader. Current mantra: Real teaching is messy work.

[Kate McCook @KMcCookEnglish]

@MarcusLuther6 @SurthrivEDU Yes please! I also did end-of-novel Socratic Seminar this week. Ss could choose that or an essay. They wrote the questions/thesis statements based on some scaffolds + ex. They exceeded my expectations. I like the passage variation to give them all that experience next time.

[Kate McCook @KMcCookEnglish]

@LMS8thhistory I knew I forgot someone! Your name was mentioned today, though! 😍

[Kate McCook @KMcCookEnglish]

Thank you notes are coming in! My favorite Thanksgiving activity. #gratitude

[Kate McCook @KMcCookEnglish]

@madisonfeudo I think you may need your old English teacher to settle this one, guys. So, here it is: you’re both right.
@madisonfeudo, this is a great film, full of childlike wonder.
@josephpdunn, it is way too early for Christmas movies (and some parts of this one are truly weird).

[Kate McCook @KMcCookEnglish]

@srasteele215 @MsFeudo @PamelaAbate @Dbearden080809 Maybe we’re arriving at a choice board of self-assessment questions…

[Kate McCook @KMcCookEnglish]

Thinking about heading into Quarter 2 with a small self-assessment, something like “What did you learn about yourself as a learner in Quarter 1 that could help you reach your goals in Quarter 2?” Other ideas? @srasteele215 @MsFeudo @PamelaAbate @Dbearden080809

[Kate McCook @KMcCookEnglish]

@srasteele215 @MsFeudo @PamelaAbate @Dbearden080809 Yes, great idea! Definitely going to model this! It’s a good way to build class community and signal that we are all in this learning thing together.

[Kate McCook @KMcCookEnglish]

@MissK_Teacher_ @ChristieNold Perfect for my seniors wrapping a novel study and preparing for a piece of writing or Socratic Seminar! I think this goes into our notebooks next week. Thanks!

[Kate McCook @KMcCookEnglish]

@MsFeudo @srasteele215 @PamelaAbate @Dbearden080809 These are great! Thanks @MsFeudo! I miss co-teaching with you! ❤️

[Kate McCook @KMcCookEnglish]

This is reading wisdom and joy! I love #7. Be promiscuous & “seek the serendipity of stacks.”

[Austin Kleon @austinkleon]

10 tips for a better reading life:

1. Quit bad books
2. Always carry a book
3. Use airplane mode
4. Read w/ a pencil
5. No guilty pleasures!
6. Visit the past
7. Be promiscuous
8. Browse the stacks
9. Say, “It wasn’t for me.”
10. Share what you love

https://t.co/wjy0Grxqkg

[Kate McCook @KMcCookEnglish]

@trustingreaders @RebekahODell1 @pennykittle @a2matthew @pernilleripp Excellent news! Adding to my list! Thank you! 🙏🏻

[Kate McCook @KMcCookEnglish]

Let’s say you were looking to up your reading conference game with high school students. Which resources would you turn to first? @RebekahODell1 @pennykittle @trustingreaders @a2matthew @pernilleripp

[Kate McCook @KMcCookEnglish]

@RebekahODell1 @pennykittle @trustingreaders @a2matthew @pernilleripp @teachkate @MPryle Thank you! I own two out of three…time to revisit and get the third. 😊

[Kate McCook @KMcCookEnglish]

@Hannon5thELA The timeline is “eyeball grading” at its finest—if the events happened and they can support their argument, check (full credit). Fewer than 5 events or lacking an argument, (slight) deduction. I scan the analysis for accurate observations and plausible interpretations.

[Kate McCook @KMcCookEnglish]

What’s a reading quiz for? To hold students accountable, to see how much they understand, to get them to dig in and analyze. I’ve run the gamut from no quiz to impossible detail-recall-guess-what-I’m-thinking quiz. Here’s what’s working for me right now:

[Kate McCook @KMcCookEnglish]

It’s fairly quick to grade and hard to fake. And it produces such good thinking.

[Kate McCook @KMcCookEnglish]

1. Make a timeline of 5 key events from this section.
2. Choose 1 event + explain why this is the most significant. Defend your choice in 2-3 sentences.
3. Choose one of the following pages/passages/panels and analyze the author’s/artist’s choices. (After we’ve modeled/practiced)

[Kate McCook @KMcCookEnglish]

@Kdale201 It’s great! Lots to use with upper elementary!

[Kate McCook @KMcCookEnglish]

Kind of nerding out about the arrival of this book today. 🤓

[Jen & Hannah are here to support teachers&students @trustingreaders]

A1: Support independent reading
for all students
every day.
#G2Great