Tanny McGregor

It's never a waste of time to teach a child to think!
-Tanny McGregor

What a great opportunity R-H had to visit with the amazingly brilliant author of Comprehension Connections, Tanny McGregor!

Here is a link to the book that Tanny recommended to our staff to help have more than one idea for each concept so students aren't "too familiar" with the same launch every time:
http://teacherexpress.scholastic.com/interactive-think-aloud-lessons-9780545102797

Here is a link to a blog about Tanny and the book:
http://theteachingthief.blogspot.com/2012/08/meeting-tanny-mcgregor.html

Here is a link to free downloads of the thinking stems already created to print!:
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Comprehension-Connection-Thinking-Stems-Anchor-Charts-291262

schema roller template:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B_aKHTGyIZB6MGNhOGI1YjItNGIwZC00ZGNkLTkzZWItMWEwNTBhNGRjNmU3/preview?pli=1

blog about metacognition with cartoons and book ideas:
http://miteachingblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/metacognition-thinking-about-thinking.html

here is a sheet to support inferring with a "backpack" instead of a shoe:
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B1sDW2Uv7dzKNzBmMzE0N2MtZWQ2MS00MDhhLTk1ZTAtOWFiMWExYzJjNmYz&hl=en_US

Another idea for inferring is one that Tanny shared this summer:
Bring in a "leash without a dog" (it's that kind that is stiff so it holds up just as if a dog was on it... apparently, these used to be popular!)  Walk the lease around, pretending the dog is there. You can pretend that he drools on some papers, poops by your desk, jumps up on a chair, barks at the window, etc. Don't tell the kids these things but let them notice from evidence such as "holding your nose, your reactions, comments, etc.) Then, you can simply have a quick discussion about what they noticed and what their evidence was on a simple t-chart whole group.