Terri Gowdy – Blog 7 – March/April – Ch 6 & 7 – Plan for and Monitor IR/Make Assessment Instruction’s Working Partner

I had skimmed through these chapters, but finally read them from beginning to end! After trying to do a complete “overhaul” on my classroom library at the beginning of the year, I think I was afraid I would find out I had done I all wrong – and I could not bear the thought of that! J Actually, what was confirmed in reading these chapters was that I am on the right track, but that my classroom library will be in a constant state of change and development, depending on the needs and interests of my students. That has certainly been true for me this year.

I gained some great insight and helpful reminders in this chapter. One thing is to DE-emphasize their reading levels, and rely on teaching them to be skilled in choosing “just right books”. I do check their book choices through conferencing, but I do find myself encouraging my lower readers, in particular, to read on their correct reading level. I realized the woes of my ways when one of these emergent readers had a shark book in his book box that was 2 levels higher than he should be reading. When I conferenced with him he pulled it out to read to me. I was about to tell him it was not on his “level”, when to my surprise, he began to read it to me! His obvious passion for sharks had provided him with enough information to figure out much of the vocabulary in this book. I was so proud of him, and ashamed of myself! It confirmed that choice is critical in successful reading, and that reading about a topic of interest can stretch a reader’s performance! This chapter also reminded me of the importance of nonfiction for my class library. I am planning to increase the accessibility of nonfiction titles and periodicals (Time for Kids, etc.) and how they are sorted for selection.

In reference to the chapter on Assessment, I have found monitoring the students as they practice reading is critical for me to know exactly how they are doing as readers. I try to see 3 to 4 students each day during independent reading. I try to do mini lessons as well to enhance their getting the most out of reading. I loved the “Chatterbox” ideas on page 89 to add to their engagement, as well as encouraging them to apply strategies we are working on in class to their independent reading books.  I want my first graders to be “successful, self-regulating, self-monitoring readers” and I am finding that the imperative element in achieving that is through the type of independent reading model described in this chapter.