Last week I observed Elisa Brent Faire do an hour reader's workshop lesson in a second grade classroom. She managed to do a mini lesson, confer with 3 students, and do 2-3 strategy groups. I have NEVER been able to do that in my classrom. (Mostly because I lose half of my kids in the AM for pull out). I also realized that she did ALOT of planning for only one day of instruction. I know she did alot of planning and prep, especially since she was modeling. I honestly don't think I could do/plan quite that much for just one day. It was nice to see how she used data from a binder (assessments) to drive instruction for a strategy group. I manage to get in two guided reading groups, and conferring with 1-2 students.
In a one hour reader's workshop, what does your hour look like?
Andrea
I agree! That sounds like a lot. With the daily struggle of balancing time and student engagement I decided to split up my reading block. I do a mini lesson, practice skills (right before or during read to self) and 30 minutes of reading to self in my first grade classroom. Then we share and partner up for 10-15 minutes of partner reading and listening to reading. This works out nice because I can pull one to two small groups in the 30 minutes of read to self and another small group during read to partner and listening. Than we do a quick practice of phonics or concepts of print and I start my mini lesson for writing. We write for 15-20 minutes and recess breaks up the reading block. We come back to literacy centers (another small group) and word work together. I tend to confer every other week instead of pulling that second small groups during read to self. I find I am getting important information (data for small groups) during the small group, so in a sense it is a type of confering.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem really overwhelming! I teach third grade at Sun Path. I usually do a 15 minute mini-lesson (generally this consists of reading a picture book outloud and modeling my thinking or having kids show their own thinking). Then I have 45 minutes in which I meet with guided reading groups. During that time I usually meet with 3-4 groups but sometimes it is less.
ReplyDeleteGroup time is when I check in with the kids to see if they are understanding the strategies and skills I have been modeling in the mini-lessons. Once a week I try to do running records on my grade level/below grade level groups. With my higher reading groups it tends to be more like once a month because I try to do more in-depth discussions with those groups. (They already are accurate in pretty much anything I give them.) The higher groups are easiest to plan for because I let their thinking drive the group time. It's way easier making them do the work. :)
I don't do much conferring. This is something I'm still trying to fit into my schedule. Occasionally (only about once a month), I just take my binder and walk around the classroom. I plop down next to kids and we talk about what they're reading. During those days all the reading groups get work days. They love that they get a "day off".
I'm still trying to get it all figured out and some days are better than others. Hopefully it gets easier the more years we do it? :)
Yes, It does seem like a lot and at time impossible to fit it all it! I do reader's workshop from 12:20-1:40. I begin with a read aloud for about 15-20 minutes teaching a skill. Then I have the kids break into their independent reading spots and pull 3 small grups a day for 15 -20 minutes each. I try to come back together again at the end for 5-8 minutes for sharing but don't always get to it. I am having a hard time finding time to confer with my students.
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