Blog Post 4 November: Donna Farmer’s Routman’s Chapter 10: Examine Guided Reading

Blog Post 4 November:  Donna Farmer’s Routman’s Chapter 10: Examine Guided Reading

Guided Reading is the one area most teachers struggle, especially new teachers.  It has taken me many years to design the perfect guided reading lessons.  Except, there are no perfect lessons so I guess I am still in the process of designing.  Each year, plans change according to the make-up of my class and I always strive to create better lessons than the year before. 

I take an eclectic view of how reading should be taught.  Routman states that what is significant about guided reading is the guided practice, not the guided reading group.  I have always struggled with teaching guided reading in small groups.  I’m old now and set in my ways.  I, sometimes, convince myself these ways are best.  When I try something new, I often find myself slipping back to what I know works for me as a teacher.  When I teach in small groups, I feel rushed for time.  I know my students must feel this same hurried feeling.  Is it worth the anxiety to create these small groups when I can do the same thing whole group and expand according to each student?  I would love for Routman to visit our school and offer suggestions for how I can become a better guided reading teacher, even if it means more small group teaching for me. 

Routman’s framework for thinking about a guided reading lesson is helpful.  I like the way it is framed and find it supportive when designing lessons.  As a result of reading this chapter, I am going to work harder at teaching in small groups.

Blog Post 3 October: Donna Farmer’s Routman’s Chapter 5: Organize an Outstanding Classroom Library

Blog Post 3 October:  Donna Farmer’s Routman’s Chapter 5: Organize an Outstanding Classroom Library

During my years of college, I began collecting books for my classroom library.  In the beginning, I was choosing the least expensive books in order to build a substantial supply.  I was able to ‘try out’ some of them with my own child.  If she enjoyed it, then maybe my soon to be students would as well.  As I was building my library, I began to focus on genres and authors.  During this time, I began to better understand literacy and how authors leave impressions.  Reading to my own child, I realized she was more engaged when we read books that interested her.  Therefore, book purchases were made according to her interest.  Unknowingly, I was becoming better prepared for teaching.  Equipped with this knowledge, when I first began teaching, I was able to hone in on student interest and jumpstart the year with engaged reading. 

Through the years, I have tried various ways to organize my classroom library.  Books are in baskets, facing the reader.  This year, I have considered using a different method to display them.  I thought that organizing books with the binder displayed would save space and I struggled with making that change.  Routman emphasizes the importance of displaying books with the cover in full view, as if marketing the book to a buyer.  Well, our students are the buyers and it is up to us to sell the book.  We have to approach it not only as selling a book, but we are selling knowledge.  We are selling to build a future reader.  My books will continue to face forward.

Currently, I have books organized by genre, author, and season.   At the beginning of the year, I create a new basket based on student interest so they will always have something to go to. 

One of my students has an avid interest in Christian music and the Bible.  In order to help him learn to read, he bought his own Bible from home.  His mother wrote out the Ten Commandments for him and he brought those to school as well.  I typed them and highlighted high frequency words for him to practice.  I also printed the lyrics to his favorite song and highlighted those words for him to learn.  I agree with Routman: “It really doesn’t matter much what kids read as long as they read and enjoy what they’re reading.”

My biggest problem with my classroom library is placing the books that do not fit in with my genres, authors, or seasons.  I have taken those books and placed them in one basket.  This basket is stored UNDER the bench in the reading center where no one ever looks at them.  These poor lonely books.  If only I could figure out how to incorporate them into my library!

According to Routman, Book Talk should be a Hot topic.  Although students share reading with other students, I fail to make time for whole group book talk.  Making a top ten list might be a cool thing for all of us to work on as well.  I will consider incorporating these into my future lessons.

Although I feel confident about my classroom library, there is always room for improvement.  The goal is to encourage students to read while building a love for books.  Sometimes, it only takes the cover of a book to invite a child to read.  Once we can get them hooked, the rest will fall into place.

Blog Post 2 September:  Donna Farmer’s Routman’s Chapter 3: Share You Reading Life

Routman is a great motivator!  I love to read, but prioritizing reading into my daily life has not been on my personal agenda.  I do have a book I have been reading periodically, but cannot seem to make the time to finish it. 

As a teacher, I read several books to my students on a daily basis as we discuss our likes and dislikes about the book, along with focus skills.  I also have a basket of books labeled as Teacher’s Favorites.  Students enjoy choosing books for me to read from my special basket.

At the beginning of the school year, I always survey student interests and create a library based on these interests.  The children are always surprised when I tell them they can travel to places far away just by reading a book.  They begin to focus on where a story takes place and compare locations on a map.  It is really cool to watch their interest grow throughout a school year!

The most rewarding part is when students surprise themselves with what they know.  The more they read, the more words they own.  As my first graders were researching animals, they were overwhelmed with how many words were in an article.  Once they realized they could actually read most of the words, the joy in their eyes was priceless.  Now, they can’t get enough and want to research everything!

Although I have not been as involved as I would like in reading on a personal level, I do carry a torch and share that light with my students.  They know and understand that reading is a lifelong skill and want to read.  

Blog Post 1 August:  Donna Farmer’s Miller’s Section 1 Not This

Time.  There never seems to be enough, unless it is something we really want to do.  Prioritizing what is most important to us enables us to make the time necessary to accomplish things in life.  This same prioritizing is essential in educating our students. 

Reading is fundamental to success.  Period.  One must learn to read in order to make sense of life.  Teaching reading takes skill and is a combination of learned skills and the ability to practice those learned skills. 

In the article “Not This” by Debbie Miller, she illustrates the importance of practicing reading to learn how to read.  This practice must be framed by instruction in order for it to be productive.

After reading this chapter, I wonder about one of my reading practices in my classroom.  I am guilty of allowing students time to read without conferencing.  There is a time in our day when I allow students to choose any book they would like.  During this time, students often flip through pages and just look at the illustrations or the photographs.  I have convinced myself that even when students just look at illustrations or photographs, they are learning.  They have more questions that can only be answered if they read the print. 

I also have time when students read to conference.  During this time, I learn which strategies students use and which lessons to plan to enhance reading skills. 

I agree with Miller when she states that the more opportunities we give children to read, the better.  I also agree that focused instruction is essential for reader’s growth.  Prioritizing allocated time each lesson is the key to success and is something I am constantly analyzing in order to give my students the best educational lessons possible.  

December Blog: Chapter 10 - Examine Guided Reading (September H Bennett)

December Blog: Examine Guided Reading by September H Bennett

For the past couple of months, I have been trying to figure out how to streamline and fully integrate guided reading into our daily schedule. Time, of course is a major factor. Engagement and management are others. Through this chapter I have found that there are numerous opportunities for guided reading practice throughout the day. This chapter prompted me to apply what I read and create a chart to implement in my classroom.

After addressing time concerns, I was able to hone in on management techniques. The communication piece seems to be the most critical part of the management process. Modeling your expectations for even the simplest tasks is mandatory. 

Nov.- Teaching Comprehension

This chapter was definitely a good reminder that I need to teach my developing readers valuable strategies, teach them why and when to use those strategies, and then provide plenty of practice to employ the strategies!

Effective comprehension strategy instruction is explicit:

1. Direct explanation. The teacher explains to students why the strategy helps comprehension and when to apply the strategy.
2. Modeling. ...
3. Guided practice. ...
4. Application.

The first page in this chapter says that the emphasis on skills should not be at the expense of comprehension. Instead of just assessing comprehension, I need to spend more time actually teaching comprehension. This really jumped out at me. I realize, from reading this chapter, that I need to spend a certain amount of time explicitly teaching the strategies that have been proven beneficial for achieving full comprehension. I liked the 20% to 80% rule: explicit strategy instruction should take up no more than 20 % of the reading class, and the rest of the time should be spent with students actually reading and applying the strategies.

Oct.- Share Your Reading Life

Honestly, sharing my reading life is slightly difficult. I have not always loved reading. When I was in school I was never excited to visit the library and only picked books based on their pictures. When it was time to read and essential to read I did not know how and I surely didn't  find it fun. When I began college I knew if I was going to be a teacher, and I was going to have to begin to love reading. It was not until my senior year I realized I was going to make my negative experience a learning experience for my students. No, I don't start off the year telling students why I love to read and or the books I am currently reading, as the article suggests. I began my telling my students my story but more importantly everything I missed out on! Then I began to share my personal library and how I record interesting things I find!! Most importantly how much I now LOVE to read! :) This was a great article to help motivate all readers.

Text: Emphasize Guided Reading

Guided reading is one of my favorite components of teaching reading. It is one of those processes that starts anew with every new group of students because no one group responds in exactly the same way to a text. It is also a process that relies heavily observational powers and on engagement amongst its participants. I have seen the power of guided reading over the course of teaching special education and summer reading camp.

          Guided reading involves matching student reading ability to text and helping them integrate their reading processes. For both children and adolescents, guided reading becomes a platform for applying skills they have learned and learning to become better listeners and team players. My students enjoy the opportunity to talk with eachother and with me and are far less tentative than in whole group. This is especially true when the strategy being discussed is multi-step or is very complex. I have conducted guided reading groups for a long time and have seen my students’ confidence level rise over a period of time. Therefore, guided reading needs to be incorporated into the classroom routine so that students have an opportunity to become proficient readers.

Text: Emphasize Shared Reading

Shared reading is a rare phenomenon in many upper grade classrooms and certainly at the intermediate levels. As an individual who has experience in teaching grades 2 and up, shared reading was a new construct for me. I had always read aloud to my students, stopping spontaneously to ask questions or invite comments along the way. Therefore, I had a difficult time distinguishing the difference between readaloud and SRE.

            Shared reading appears to have a different purpose and a separate methodology than a readaloud. Through the years, I have had the opportunity to read Don Holdaway’s research and understand the difference between the two components of instruction. The Routman text discusses in detail, what SRE is, how it may be delivered, and provides a sort of template for those who are new to the concept (Routman, 2003). SRE is a student-friendly method of helping learners understand key constructs in reading. For my students (all of whom were struggling learners or students enrolled in special education) SRE was a non-threatening way to deliver new concepts and help them come to an understanding of what they needed to know. For students who typically struggle with written expression as well as reading fluency and comprehension, SRE emphasizes oral expression and a guided approach to concept acquisition. I personally love the emphasis on discussion because many of my students have never been exposed to analysis in the form of discussion. It is motivating (for myself and my students) when they feel brave enough to make a point, notice text features, and engage in discussion amongst themselves. The greatest advantage of SRE is that affective bond that enhances motivation and produces an atmosphere where students feel free to ask questions and provide their input. This is why this methodology would work for both primary or intermediate levels. 

Reference:

Routman, R. (2003). Reading essentials: The specifics you need to teach reading well. Portsmouth, NH. ISBN: 0325004927

Corrie Waddell Blog #7 Examing Guided Reading March/April

This chapter talks about guided reading and examining how you teach guided reading. I think this chapter is great for teachers as it brings to light many misconceptions about how guided reading should look.  As a Pre-K teacher I don't have much experience with Guided Reading in a formal sense because it is not as much emphasized with preschoolers. This is because they are still acquiring letter sound recognition and phonics. But, by the second semester a good bit of my students  have mastered letter sound recognition and are ready to try little readers. This leads me to my approach to guided reading. Now, I know the author says to be careful with ability grouping, but I feel in the early years this can be the approach to beginning readers. I usually group my students by how many letters and sounds they have acquired. This is because my students who have mastered more letters can usually start to sound out more words.  I do not want to overwhelm or frustrate my students who are not yet ready to try reading in small groups.  

Even though I find it difficult to always find time for guided reading I have found some benefits to beginning guided reading groups in Pre-k. I have found that guided reading teaches my students tracking skills which will be useful for them in Kindergarten. I love seeing my students follow along with the stories as we read the pages together. Guided reading also teaches my students phonemic awareness and rhyming skills. When reading with my students I try to let them help me sound out new words to reinforce the letter/sound recognition. This also helps them in their writing because they then attempt to write about what we have read.  Lastly, I feel guided reading teaches my students to take turns and look at the pictures for clues as to what the words actually are saying. It gives them that connection between what is read aloud and what is actually written on the pages.

In my Pre-K class I try to choose texts that are centered around a central theme that is being reinforced in the classroom. This allows an easier flow of information to my students so the context of the texts are not unfamiliar to my students.  I try to provide them with lots of nonfiction books that enrich their vocabulary because I agree with the author when she says to provide your students with good quality books.

December Blog: Chapter 4: Teach with a Sense of Urgency (September H Bennett-Cook)

This chapter covered various ways to make every moment count. In all honesty, this chapter reinforced for me a couple of the things I do well. That is not something that happens every day so it was quite nice to see that my students are getting best practice in ELA. Of the strategies and activities discussed, I have found the interactive read aloud is my favorite.

I think reading should be enjoyable and the overall experience should be greater than the individual skills being cultivated. It is during our interactive read aloud that my students get to utilize the skill they have learned while enjoying the book or story they have chosen. They don’t even realize they are working! The enthusiasm they show during “turn and talk”, “sit and sketch”, “imagine and infer” times are crucial to their growth and development as readers. To them, it’s time to be social with classmates and discuss a great book.

Independent Reading Matters

March/April Blog - Miller & Moss - Section 2 - IR Matters

If there is one thing that I have learned from this course it is the importance of Independent Reading and student choice. The section of this book had fantastic charts and tables that I will use to guide my lesson planning as well as to reflect on my reading instruction. I believe in independent reading and enjoy this time during my instructional day. My students enjoy this time during the day as well. I think it is so nice to hear the murmur, whisper, and silence of students reading independently. It is even nicer to get to hear about what they are reading when conferencing with them. 

As I read I realized the importance of students' stamina and what that means for different readers. I thought it was extremely interesting how the different amounts of time spent on independent reading for good and poor readers affected what they learned. I know that as a reading instructor that it takes time for poor readers to build stamina. This section of this book gave me a good perspective of trying to find a balance in a classroom of mixed leveled readers. 

Another perspective that I felt like was good to read about was the fact that students have to be exposed to many different types of text. Not only is the exposure important, but the explicit instruction to the genre-specific text is necessary. On page 23 the author explains, "...the reading processes used to comprehend a story like Charlotte's Web are different from those needed to extract information from an article on spiders." In the same paragraph, the author identifies the different texts we come across as professionals and adult readers. I find it interesting that I do not consider myself a "reader", yet I spend the majority of my day reading. This course has helped me realize that although, beyond required reading, I do not choose novels or things of that nature to read, I do read all the time. I believe that this is so important for our students as well. Students have to be exposed and taught how to read and understand other types of texts. If we are truly creating college and career ready students, we must look at what we as readers do each day too. 

I have found it so interesting that throughout this course I have learned a lot of what I already knew about reading. I have been reminded of simple things that are necessary for student achievement. Below are some of the main ideas and takeaways that I have from this section of this book.

- "...IR can promote achievement gains under specific conditions..."(pg. 15)

- Students need to be able to choose texts, but with some guidance in that they understand how to differentiate their genre and level.

- Students stamina differs, and the gains from the time spent in IR differ for each child as well.

- Students need to understand what different types of text are for and how we can use them and understand them.

- Accountability in reading is necessary, in the types of text, the complexity of texts, and the assessment of texts. 

- In order for students to be able to read different types of texts, they must be available to them and they must know how to find them.

- Easy reading is good for students to build confidence, but harder reading is also good for student growth. 

- Reading should be shared and conferred in both independent and whole group settings.

Corrie Waddell Blog# 6 Jan/Feb Bond with Your Students

The chapter Bond with Your Students was probably one of my favorite chapters. The author talks about how important it is to a child's education and development for teachers to get to know their students. I like how in the beginning the parent says "Look, you don't have to like my child, but you must bond with her if she is to learn anything at all! That is your job as a teacher". I agree with this parent we must show our students that we care about them if order for them to feel comfortable enough to learn. It's our job as teachers to provide optimum learning conditions for our students no matter how we feel about them. Every student that you get in your classroom isn't going to be that "perfect student" that does everything you say. In fact there may be more students who try to challenge your authority or do the opposite of what you may say. This is really where getting to know your students will benefit you as a teacher. It may also benefit your students as learners. I believe that in order to bond with your students you have to get to know them as learners. You must find out your student's interest and social norms. You then can use this knowledge to reach your students.  If your student likes dinosaurs then make an effort to find books on dinosaurs for your students to read. This may show them that you care. In my short experience as a teacher I have learned that if a student feels like you like them they become happier learners. I try to encourage my students by giving them positive reinforcements and kind words.

Initially in Pre-K we get to know our students in the beginning of the school year by going on home visits. This gives us a lot of background knowledge on our students that we can later use to bond with them. It gives us a glimpse of what their home lives are like, how many sibling they have, and how they interact with caregivers.  In my experience home life has a direct effect on school life. The home visits also gives us an open doorway to bonding emotionally with our students.  Even as the year has gone by my students still say "I remember when you came to my house". I then use this as a doorway to say that I remembered something about their house, a pet, or a sibling. This puts the biggest smile on their faces.

I end by saying I agree we must make a conscious effort to bond with each student. It is our duty as teachers to show our students that we care for them as people and as learners. We can do this by respecting our students, getting to know their interest, believing in them, and much more.

Chapter 4- Teach with a Sense of Urgency

Teaching with a sense of urgency was one of my favorite chapters in the book. This chapter basically talked about the essence of helping students to become excellent readers. The four phases of learning are demonstration, shared demonstration, guided practice, and independent practice which were important concepts discussed in the chapter. Demonstration was basically modeling and showing an interest in what it is you want your students to learn. It is stated that demonstration teaching is always explicit and intentional. Shared demonstration is when the teacher observes what the teacher is able to do, and makes adjustments based on student’s needs. Students are allowed to share their thinking with one another which is always good. Students tend to learn a lot from each other, so having time to express themselves, and to share their thinking process, are vital to keeping children engaged in their learning.

The other two Guided practice and independent practice are somewhat student directed. In guided practice the students are able to facilitate and take charge of their learning with teacher support as well as their group. I think this is important to allow students to take control. Even though teachers are there for support and guidance, students often tend to be more engaged when they participate in a hands on approach to learning. When students reach independent practice, teacher are available for minimal support, most students are competent and confident in their ability.

I found the try it and apply it section to be very helpful and useful while reading. Daily we read nonfiction, fiction, or poetry, so I took note on things that I could apply with my students during our reading time. Students were able to turn and talk and they were able to answer the questions, and they instantly became more engaged in the text. As different students shared their replies, the class was eager to continue reading the text. I look forward to implementing these strategies, daily into our reading to help my students become excellent readers. 

Examine Guided Reading-Chapter 10

As I began to read this chapter I began pulled out my highlighter because I knew that this was an area that I needed to improve in. Guided reading is an area that I always want to do get better at, and have struggled with. There are lots of components that make up guided reading and a lot of them are covered in this chapter. One of the things that I realized that I was not doing correctly was student grouping. Routman stated to adequately do guided reading you must have group sizes of 6 or less so that you can customize the instruction. While I was reading this chapter there were several tips I picked up on the side in the text boxes. I found the subtitles helpful as well. I realized that modeling is an important component of guided reading.

I enjoyed reading the dialogue excerpts of the guided reading lessons, the questions gave me a better understanding of how to word questions, and the appropriate responses that I should seek. It was also stated that teachers should ask themselves, “How is what I am doing today going to help students become more independent readers?” This made perfect since to me, epically when I read the list that followed. The goal is to help students become independent readers and to have a passion for reading. With that being said Guided Reading provides that extra help students need to relearn strategies, practice new strategies, and to have dialogue about what they are reading.

Chapter 2- Bond with Your Students

While reading this chapter I was intrigued by the importance of bonding with your students. I enjoyed reading about the different accounts Routman gave about bonding with students. He stated that we as educators must bond with all of our students, saying it is our responsibility and duty. I totally agree with him, and have made it an obligation to bond with my students every year. The list on page 12 was spot on, he gave 11 things that make up the bonding process. Routman also addressed the students whom are not receptive to the bonding invitations, saying it is a matter of waiting. As an educator it is important that we never give up on students, but wait on them to observe our enthusiasm and interactions with others, and they will eventually become interested in the bonding process. I strive to make connections with all of my student, and try to create a positive environment for all of my students to be comfortable. I think students learn best when they feel comfortable, and know that the teacher really cares for them. With that being said Routman, also addresses the language of encouragement. Which I find is challenging to use at times, but it is always better to be positive and encouraging than negative. Saying things like, “you can do it”, “You didn’t give up. You kept trying”, are some of the things you have to say to students.

Some of the subtitiles in the chapter included Learn about Students’ Reading Lives at Home. This section basically talks about making the connection with home- school with reading. Routman gives several pointers and suggestions in the subtitles which include: 1.Ensure EARLY success for every child- 2.Model Respect- 3.Encourage shared decision making- 4. Tell the stories of your life-this one in HUGE!  5. Read stories aloud-
6. Learn about their reading lives at home. I agree that all of these things are vital to the success of students. By doing these you will become a great teacher as well, because your students will be engaged and eager to learn daily.

March/April Blog: "Make Assessment Instruction's Working Partner"

Assessments.  Just the word sends a teacher's eyes glaze over. We know that they are invaluable, but wow, do we have an abundance of them.  The portion at the beginning of this chapter regarding assessing the assessments reminds me of the "guarding benches" reference in the "No More Independent Reading Text." While it is true that we don't have any room for adjustment on the use or implementation of some assessments, this chapter offers some good guidance in determining the efficacy of some that we do.
Reading conferences are mentioned again in this chapter, and I realize that the implementation of this tool will require just as much training for me as it will for my students.  The lists and graphics included in this section are invaluable.  It will be tricky to do these conferences on chosen readings, as there is very little of that in our classroom due to time and resources, but perhaps I can encourage students to bring in their favorite books from home or one they have chosen at the library about which they could share a little.
The suggested guiding questions and the followup troubleshooting questions on page 104 lend themselves to the development of a rubric. This text does a wonderful job of synthesizing the information of a section into very useful, easily digestible chunks for the distractible reader such as myself. The Reading Conference Framework on pages 104 to 105, as well as those suggested goals on 106 are fantastic.  With self-advocacy being such a  large part of Special education now, to give students the power to effectively assess their own reading, have words to describe their struggles and progress outside of "I just don't read that well" is so empowering!

 
    

January/February Blog: "Plan for and Monitor Independent Reading"

As I mentioned in my December post, finding time for independent reading beyond that which is briefly outlined in my daily lesson, is very difficult.  The only time I can count on there being a chance for independent reading is during those portions of standardized test administration that are not orally administered.  The idea of conferencing regarding independent reading had not struck me as a useful tool in our Resource world. The only time I do anything close to this is quick feedback regarding oral reading in class or during weekly assessments.  This feedback mostly encompasses decoding errors, however.  The chart on page 85 gives some guidance for implementing independent reading through its comparison to sustained silent reading.  Each point on the independent reading side reads like a checklist.
Regarding partner reading, I have always been hesitant to implement it.  How could that help?  The ideas in our class presentation on its benefits and the information presented some convincing reasons to implement it.  I have just assumed that this time would be spent chatting about other, more entertaining things.  I appreciate there is a graphic of the skill set already created and included on page 91 that could facilitate teaching how this experience should occur.
The point on page 96 that word calling is not enough is such an important one to be made!  I have so many students whose oral reading is quite fluent and well-pronounced, but when asked questions about what was read, it becomes painfully obvious that the student has gotten no meaning from the text.  He or she has missed crucial prepositions  or pronouns that gave clues to locations, characters, or sequence that are crucial to understanding the events of what was just read.
 

Amanda Justice March/April Blog Post

Chapter 10  Examine Guided Reading

I chose to read chapter 10 “Examine Guided Reading” from Routman’s Reading Essentials for my final blog post.  As I began reading I found myself reflecting on my own practices as a teacher.  The chapter begins with stating that “Kindergarten teachers question whether or not they need to have it.”  In addition to teachers questioning what to do, they also question if they are doing guided reading the “right way.” 

As a 4K teacher I question myself often about whether what I am doing is in the best interest of my students or not?  I struggle with the fact that they are only 4 years old, yet I am expected to teach them so much.  While I know that interest areas provide great learning experiences and are developmentally appropriate, I sometimes feel like I don’t have time to adequately get everything in and have time for interest areas too.  In a perfect world, I would be able to go into interest areas with my students every day and help them further develop the skills we are learning in class, but making this happen in reality is much more difficult.  Somehow we always make everything work, but at the end of the day I still question if I am doing the right thing for my students or not. 

Some things that really stood out for me in this chapter were:

You don’t need to meet with every group every day

I struggle with this idea often.  For me the question is whether it is more important to meet with every group every day for a shorter period of time, or to meet with a few groups a day for a longer period of instruction.  With only so much time in a day, it is difficult to fit everything in.  It is reassuring to hear that you don’t necessarily have to meet with every group every day.   

·         Typically most of our teaching time focuses on accuracy, not comprehension.  Both are important.

This point hits me hard.  As a teacher I am guilty of focusing much more on accuracy than comprehension.  I think some of this stems from my own experiences in school.  I was a struggling reader as a child so for me it was always more important to accurately read the words than to comprehend them.  In a class full of students it was much more embarrassing to not be able to call the words than it was to not know the answer to a question about the story.  I am thankful as an educator to have opportunities for continuous growth and learning so that I may be the best possible teacher for my students.  I hope to work more on my comprehension focus as I grow as a professional.   

·         Most of the activities that teachers devise are  “time fillers”

I am guilty of this too at times.  During small groups I sometimes give students activities that are time fillers so that they will stay quiet while I am working with my group.  I love that the book says the primary activity for students not in a group should be reading.  When I assign reading activities I worry if this is the right thing to do or not.  I worry whether students are just talking or trying to learn by interacting with the text and illustrations.  Teaching 4K has opened my eyes to the importance of just getting books in students hands though.  Allowing them to hold books, look at the pictures, practice turning the pages, and dialogue with friends about the text and illustrations. 

·         Make reading the primary activity for students not in a group

·         Model what students do if a problem arises

o   Finger to mouth

o   Gently tap a student

o   Quiet reminder to whisper

o   Help students find a book to read

·         Publishers have mass-produced thousands of leveled “little books,” to meet market demands

I thought this was such a great point.  Just because we have a book, does not mean it is quality literature or interesting to our students.  I find it very difficult to teach students using a book that I myself do not find interesting.  When the pictures are bad, and the words are not interesting, teaching reading becomes boring to me.

December Blog Post: Organize an Outstanding Classroom Library

It sits on an old library cart at the back of my room- my classroom library.  There are a few "exciting" books- but they are terribly outdated and mostly related to late 90's, early 2000's Nickelodeon shows.  Lizzie McGuire has married and divorced. The Wildthornberries are unknown to the kids who walk in my door.  Meanwhile, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have gone from the brink of obscurity to a resurgence of popularity amongst elementary school children.  Yes, my library is in desperate need of some updating.  Its saving grace are the few non-fiction books about animals and cars.  The "Low Rider" and "Sharks" books are well-loved and are grabbed up the instant that independent reading time is available.  There is my other problem- when can my kids do any independent reading?  We have precious few minutes to get our mandated programming done as well as handling any minor crises that may arise during our time together.  

The sections "Expand Access for Struggling Readers" [p.65], "Provide Lots of Choices and Books" [p.67] and caught my attention. It makes so much sense that books have to be extremely interesting in order to catch and keep the attention of a student for whom reading is an area of weakness.  The suggestion that soliciting those students' input makes such a positive influence on the amount of time that those same students spend reading inspires me to do the same in my classroom.  Student choice is so often a greatly motivating force.  What is more natural than soliciting input from the same students who will get to enjoy those books knowing that they are the reason these newer literary treasures have replaced Miss McGuire on my cart?

April/May- Alisha Bridges - You Only Have So Much Time

This is the chapter I needed to read. As a working mother, who always strives for perfection in professional endeavors, I find very little opportunity to carve out time for myself. I liked the advice to "be an interesting person" in addition to trying to be the best teacher you can be. Students do notice our whole selves, and we need to be an example to them that hard and rewarding work pays off in ways that make life enjoyable. Make that time and do the things you want to do for yourself was advice I plan to heed. Encouraging teachers to think more than do was a great example of how teachers can spend less hours at work, but achieve more. Keeping the work meaningful, ensuring that students can do independent work independently, and making use of all time you have in the classroom would also help this happen. When reading this, I couldn't help notice how this goes hand in hand with the message of teaching with urgency. The meaningful work happening before the bell rings was also a section that caught my attention. This is right on target with our school encouraging the Morning Meeting. It allows students to share and talk and converse and mentally prepare for their day just as we do when we come to work. Lessening mandatory assignments first thing in the morning could cut down on copies made and on grading to take home. I'd rather do those assignments that were going to give me insight into my students instructional needs later in the day, when they are fully awake, and when I can get them into small groups and actually observe their thinking as they complete the assignment rather than just what they marked on the paper to finish in the allotted time. Finding that balance between work and personal life and fitting it all in to the best of your ability is hard. I welcome any advice that can help me juggle these things more effectively, and I happened to find many great ideas in this chapter.

Jessica Barwick: March/April Blog Post

Routman Chapter 10:  Examine Guided Reading

As I build my literacy program, guided reading is the component that I am most excited to improve upon and the one that I need the most practice with.  When I held book clubs this year, I developed a system that saw success but also areas in which to grow, and I will be using many of Routman's ideas to do so in the future.

Thinking toward next year, my biggest takeaways from this chapter are how to incorporate guided reading groups into the weekly ELA schedule, activities that other students are working on during meetings, and having a clear focus and plan for each group ahead of time.

As far as the schedule is concerned, Routman suggests having guided reading groups only 2-3 days per week in the intermediate grades and not struggling to try to meet with each group every time you meet.  When I started book clubs this year, I tried to work with each of my four groups every time we met, and with only 45 minutes allotted, this was taxing on me and not as beneficial for the children because we didn't get to go as deeply into our lessons as I would have liked.  By setting up a clear schedule, students will know what to expect as far as meeting times with me, and I will be able to put all my attention on one small group for 15-20 minutes at a time.  I'm sure I will have to set a timer for myself in order to stop on time!  It's amazing how time can go by so quickly when delving deeply into good books because there is so much to discuss.

Another piece of this chapter that I will come back to is what the other students are doing while I am meeting with a guided reading group.  With my book clubs this year, I had groups all meeting at the same time, reading aloud with each other, while I circulated the room meeting with the different groups.  Routman suggests that all other students are working on a quiet reading/writing activity, and I think this will help with my focus and with management issues.  To be honest, I had to spend some of my instruction time telling other groups to keep it down or stay on task instead of focusing 100% on the group I was with.  This disrupted their learning and wasted time.  If I tried Routman's suggestions for activities, it might help keep everyone more on task.  Perhaps, there could be room in the schedule for everyone to read aloud with their groups but also for me to work with guided reading groups separately.  I definitely want to give students time to discuss their novels without me being there, but I would need to model how to do that in a guided reading group before setting them loose.  I like the idea of having students work on one or two guiding questions independently after meeting with me, then moving on to choice independent reading, or a different literacy project.  This would certainly take a good bit of modeling and practice, because many of my students throughout the years have not always been good at self-direction and independence.  However, I know it can be done because I have seen improvements in this area during our independent reading block.  It just takes time!

Finally, I will do a better job in the future of having a plan in place before meeting with my groups.  For my book clubs this year, I treated them almost like independent reading conferences.  I had reading strategies and comprehension activities I knew I wanted to work on with the groups, but I would work on them as they came up organically during a reading session with me.  I didn't always have a specific plan in place ahead of time, just general ideas of things I wanted to work on.  By narrowing a focus, assigning a specific chapter ahead of time and being more prepared, our time together will be more valuable and productive.

Creating a well-balanced, organized, and engaging literacy program in my classroom is something I am constantly working on, and after reading Routman's book, I am even more excited to build upon what I am already doing and see my readers grow!

April Blog Post-Emphasize Shared Reading

I love shared reading! This chapter starts out talking about how shared reading is missing from many reading programs, especially in grades 2 and above. I think that shared reading is so important for students. In order for students to be able to be great readers, they need models to learn from. In my classroom we spend a lot of time reading collaboratively in all subject areas.  During the reading we assess ourselves as well as our peers on our fluency, rate, expression and so much more. I model for the students what reading should sound like, look like, and feel like. They get so excited that we when run out of time I often get many groans and  complaints. Our students want to be great readers and we can help them do this no matter the text we are  reading. Students are usually fully engaged and on task because they want to be  called on to read and they don't know will will be called on so they have to pay attention. This time can help students build vocabulary, find meaning to unknown and multiple meaning words, as well as teach so many types of skills. Always find time to do shared reading and the results will we fantastic!

March Blog Post Ashley Smith- You Only Have So Much Time

From the moment I opened this chapter of the book I was taken in. It made me think of the time I was told that I was working harder then my students! That thought has stayed with me since. All I do is think about my students. I think about how smart they are, how they interact with me as  well as their peers, I even think of them while I am out shopping. Rarely do I buy things for my own children because I am always thinking of what my students needs are.
While reading the chapter something the author said stuck with me, " We are not only role models for learning; we are role models for living." The authors gives excellent tips for being those types of roles models. We have to remember that we do teach our students how to live. We talk to them about our personal experiences and they make connections to us. In order to show them how we are role models for learning, some of the key things we can do in the classroom  to maximize instructional time includes; spending most of out time thinking, trusting out experiences, keeping work simple and meaningful, using all time to teach and assess, and keeping a lively pace. All these ideas will help us as teachers to dispose of downtime and unwanted behavior issues.

March/April Blog #7: Section 1-Not This...Is there enough time? And is time enough to support independent reading?

The last blog I wrote was on time too!  It seems as if time has become a major factor and even an excuse for some teachers.  I do find myself saying, "I just don't have enough time to do that."  But, after reflecting this chapter, I think that might be an excuse.  Yes, there are things we have to do and have to participate in, but what is my job?  My job is to educate twenty-one precious boys and girls.  It is my job to help them become independent readers and writers.  My favorite quote from the chapter was the first sentence, "Children learn to read by reading...but not without instructional support."  My students are going to learn to read, but they need my help and it is my job to make sure they become readers.  I HAVE to find the time.  It is not an option.  Independent reading is a must.  While reading, students gain knowledge more than just the words on the page.  They learn about the world, their interests, habits, and so many things. 

I have had to take a step back and reevaluate my schedule and what are musts and things that I could let go for my students to truely grow as readers, writers, and independent learners.  Then, I had to take a step back and reevaluate my indpendent reading time.  It is not just chose a book and take an AR test.  (It has been that in the past.)  I have to help guide my students of how to read, what reading looks like, how to think, what questions to ask, how to discuss their book before, during, and after reading, how to give their book meaning, and my list can go on and on. 

The more opportunities I can give my students during the day to read, the better it will be for them and me!  Now that I have reevaluated my schedule, independent reading is a MUST and happens EVERYDAY because it is so important!  My students and their parents are counting on me and I will not be doing my job if I did not allow my students the time to do this daily.  No more excuses! 

Lindsey Craig December

Chapter 12-
This was a great chapter and a reminder every teacher needs from time to time (especially this time of year!). The most important thing I took away form this chapter was the portion about thinking. I am constantly thinking about what I am going to do in my classroom, from the supper table to getting ready for work in the morning. I think it is natural of us as teachers to always thinking about what's next and what's the best way to  do it. I also found the scheduling portion of this chapter very interesting. Honestly, I stopped and looked over my schedule to see what I could do different and how much time I am "wasting."

Lindsey Craig -March/April

Comprehension: Chapter 8
Many times students are great readers and or are able to read the text however, are the comprehending what the text says? Often times, I am amazing at how well students read however, when I ask them to recall what they read they cannot even recall a word! To me personally it is scary! The book mention a great strategy to use to get students interested, simply start with text students are reading. During independent reading time I began walking over to my students and asking them about what they are reading. More times than none they are able to answer any question I ask, however, when I get them something to read they are not able to recall the text. The book suggest if we train the students how to read on stories they enjoy they will learn the correct way to comprehend text they are given. Another way I was taught to teach comprehension to is read a book aloud to a student and whatever come to your mind when you are reading (example-your reading process) stop and share this with your students. This is a great way to model how to comprehend information.

Lindsey Craig Jan/February

I did not realize how much shared reading I actually do in my classroom until, I read over this chapter. Having children read aloud along with reading a passage multiple times is very effective for the child. In my classroom when we read new material from a book we read it several times in a scaffolding way. First, the students will read the information independently, next I will pair the students up (often time based on level and ability) and have them read again with a partner. Lastly, we will read the story and or chapter together before taking notes. I have found that my students only report the relevant information when we take notes because they have listened to the story three times. I also have a daily read aloud above most of my students levels in the class and then we will take an AR test on the novel. Even my low students really enjoy this time and ask for me to read more novels in the particular series!

Jessica Barwick: January/February Blog Post

Routman Chapter 9: Emphasize Shared Reading

To be honest, before reading this chapter, I had a misunderstanding of what "shared reading" was.  I assumed if the teacher and student had the same book in front of them, and we listened to each other read, this was shared reading.  I didn't realize it was actually everyone reading aloud!  So yes, this is a missing piece in my reading instruction, and one that I have already tried to incorporate since reading this chapter.

I frequently model good fluency and expression when I read aloud to my kids, but it has been interesting to note that since I have tried to include more choral reading (after reading this chapter), that more students are willing to try to match my speed and expression when we read together.  They can't go too fast or they will stand out, or they will be left behind if they read too slowly.  I have observed that some students are not able to keep up with the pace, but some of my struggling readers and English language learners are at least attempting the words when we all read together.  It has given them confidence, and like Routman states on pg. 131, they are "encouraged to participate without any pressure or fear of failure."

In order to make my shared reading more meaningful, I incorporated it into our regular reading rotation with discussions.  For example, we are currently reading a class novel that is higher than many Lexiles in my class, so we often read chapters together, rather than independently.  So, I do pull random names to read aloud a paragraph or two, but I also read aloud to model every other page, and have recently started to use shared reading in a paragraph or two in between students reading.  Using this in conjunction with having small group, partner, and class discussions about the reading seems to keep more students engaged (since they don't know when I might ask everyone to read aloud) and to help other students (who might not keep up as well) find where we are and re-energize them.

One thing I found interesting is that Routman claims that "it helps students and teachers bond" (p. 130).  Maybe shared reading helps build a bond if you use it toward the beginning of the year, but I haven't seen evidence of this yet in my classroom.  I will say, though, that many students have seemed to enjoy it and have added more expression in their oral reading.  This chapter also renewed my interest in writing a grant for a document camera.  I have wanted one for a while in order to showcase student writing, but it would also be a great way to expose read-alouds to the entire class if I have only one copy.  If I had a document camera, we would be able to participate in more shared reading experiences with some of my favorite picture books.

Overall, I found this chapter interesting, and I plan to include more shared reading in my reading instruction from here on out.

Blog Post for Jan-Feb 2016

Blog Post for Jan-Feb 2016

Text: Teach with a Sense of Urgency

            Chapter Four in the Routman text discusses using “daily evaluation and reflection to make wise teaching decisions” (Routman, 2003, p 41). To be completely candid, in all the chapters this learner has read from this text, chapter four was the most predictable and seemed to restate what many teachers garner from experience in the classroom.

            The author reiterates and restates the importance of almost continuous reflection to guide teaching decisions on a daily basis. It also stresses the need to link assessment to instruction. Perhaps, this learner’s less-than-enthusiastic response to this chapter lies in the fact that it seems repetitive and a trifle obvious. After the first years of teaching, many teachers eventually come to the conclusion that the worksheet approach or the implementation of cute projects for special occasions are a waste of time. In addition, curricula at teacher education colleges and universities focus heavily on differentiation of instruction as well as scaffolding, which is what the chapter discusses at length. The Optimum Learning Model which follows a prescriptive method for teaching reading has been discussed in previous publications as well. While it is always wise to review its many components, this learner felt that the chapter functioned more as a review of prior knowledge than new constructs in the realm of teaching reading.

            The one part of this chapter that resonated with this learner was the teaching of phonics using real texts. This learner learnt languages with the whole language approach. Too many programs rely heavily on the phonetic method, using materials that only emphasize concept attainment in isolation. Consequently, many students do not generalize those skills from one setting to the other. Therefore, any programming, in the general education classroom or out of it needs to rely on real texts. The emphasis on the acquisition of oral language that is also emphasized in this chapter is important. Many teachers minimize oral language skills as a strength in a child’s repertoire but it is as critical as reading and writing skills in the process of acquiring a formal education.

Reference:

Routman, R. (2003). Reading essentials: The specifics you need to teach reading well. Portsmouth, NH. ISBN: 0325004927