The FRAME is an exceptional tool to use, and it has been a part of my English 8 classroom for almost 13 years. It is best if done together, and students aid in providing the information included. Sometimes, students thoughts have to be redirected so that they don't write down just any old information. It's important for them to get the meat of the subject instead of facts and details that are irrelevant to the concept being covered. For the longest time, in my building, teachers of all subjects were required to use FRAMES all the time. This, to me, caused the FRAME to be a tool students started to dread instead of seeing its importance. They're great to use, but it is important not to overuse them. A former student who is now a teacher in the building said the FRAME was one of the best things he learned while here at CAMS. He was able to use FRAMES when reading and studying in college- that's the ultimate compliment- when a student generalizes and uses something they've been taught in a way that best serves their needs. The FRAME, by far, is one of my most favorite routines. It forces students to be concise and thoughtful and to the point instead of going on and on about a given topic.
