[eMINTS] Com Arts Programs

[Wendi Diane Scheer]

I have talked to our principal about McMillan-McGraw Hill's Treasures.  It
looks like a great program, is anyone out there using that program?  If
so, what is you opinion on it, what are the ups and downs to the series?

Thank you,

Wendi Scheer


> I hear your comments and wonder what other teachers feel about Harcourt
> Trophies.  That's the series our building is planning to get next year.
> Are any of you using that series now?  Do you like it?  How do the
> different grade levels feel about it?
>
> Tracy
> 5th grade
> Louisiana Elementary School
>
>> Our school is doing the Treasures Program from McGraw-Hill.
>> My first impression of this program was that it was great and that it
>> would
>> fill in all those gaps that our district seemed to have with the GLE's.
>> After teaching with it, (our district is making all of us do it, all the
>> time), I have come to the conclusion that it is just another basal that
>> is
>> full of stuff.
>>
>> In fact, it has so much stuff, that it took about a quarter for most
>> teachers
>> in our building to get used to how it was set up.  It also takes a lot
>> of
>> time to implement, so plan on almost two and a half hours a day for
>> communication arts.
>>
>> This series has a lot of workbooks! (YUK!)
>> Reading has three different levels of workbooks: the approaching,
>> on-level,
>> and the beyond.
>> There is a grammar workbook and also a Spelling workbook.  You will need
>> all
>> this stuff to implement the program.
>>
>> Assessment:  Our school has common assessments weekly. Treasures does
>> supply
>> these. These look just like the MAP test stuff.  We have two people in
>> our
>> district that oversee all the testing and assessments.  Teachers are
>> responsible for all their own testing.  It seems like all we do is test!
>>
>>
>> Bottom line: it stifles the constructivist/eMINTS philosophy, but any
>> basal
>> will, right?
>>
>> Patrick Myers
>> 5th Grade
>> DeSoto School District #73
>> Myers.Pat at desoto.k12.mo.us
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: emints-bounces at lists.emints.org
>> [mailto:emints-bounces at lists.emints.org] On Behalf Of Jonel Hammons
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2007 7:43 AM
>> To: emints at lists.emints.org
>> Subject: [eMINTS] Com Arts Programs
>>
>> My school is looking at adopting a new communication arts program for
>> grades 1-6 as well as an assessment program. We are meeting with all the
>> company reps, but I would like to hear the cheers and jeers from those
>> who are using the programs.
>> I am interested in finding the  good points and week spots of such
>> programs as Macmillian/McGraw-Hill Treasures Series, Houghton Mifflin,
>> Wright Group,  and Scott Foresman.
>>   What is your school using to assess reading both from the grade level
>> standpoint and the skills assessment/intervention standpoint. We have
>> looked at both Dibbles and AIMSweb.  How is the assessment/intervention
>> being accomplished - classroom teacher only, assessment team, building
>> wide? I think information from those using it is more helpful than from
>> the ones trying to sell it.
>> Thanks for your help.
>>
>>
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Mrs. Wendi Scheer
5th grade teacher
Sturgeon Elementary School
(573)687-2155