Patricia Graham- Blog Post 5- Routman Ch. 10

I enjoyed reading the chapter on Guided Reading as it is an important learning context in which “the teacher builds on students’ strengths and supports and demonstrates whatever is necessary to move the child toward independence.”  The guided practice is an integral aspect of guided reading though it is essential as the teacher to provide demonstrations and support initially.  Though the chapter mentions flexible grouping in the upper grades, I feel that ability groups works very well in second grade as students are learning to read by using a variety of reading strategies and make meaning of the text. 

One personal struggle I have with guided reading is choosing quality books or resources for my groups.  Though we have the library, literacy closet, and Mrs. Thompson’s personal class library, it is often difficult finding numerous copies of recent books that will “adequately support the students as readers.”

Below are several important points mentioned in the chapter that reaffirm my views and are best practices dealing with literacy instruction.

·        Reading instruction does not have to be limited to your reading block- it can be integrated and go across the entire curriculum.

·        Independent reading needs to be a main priority in reading instruction.

·        Teachers must explicitly model what students are expected to do and students need to spend most of their time reading.

·        Reading responses should be limited and not take up a lot of time.

Vickie Thompson-Routman Enjoy!

     Although this chapter was the briefest one, it held the most powerful advice to successful teaching and living....Enjoy!  It is so easy to get bogged down in the details and routines of teaching and living that I often forget to enjoy life!  I have so much to be thankful for and need to live my life with an attitude of thanksgiving and joy.  I need to ask myself often "What am I doing to ensure that the children in my room are joyful about coming to school and learning?"  "How can I make this experience count to the fullest?  "How can I motivate my students to reach their full potential?"What am I doing to make my own life richer?"  When I think back to the teachers I enjoyed the most they made me feel special, made learning fun and yes... they ENJOYED life!

Vickie Thompson-Routman Chapter 2-Bond with Your Students

  I thoroughly enjoyed reading this chapter on bonding with our students. Routman says, "Until we reach into our students' hearts, we have no entry into their mind!"  Wow!" That about sums it up, doesn't it?So how do we go about reaching into their hearts? I believe that our responsibility as educators it to make EVERY child feel loved, respected, and successful. This in turn enables them to reach their maximum potential both academically and socially.  Of course this occurs at different rates and times with each individual child. I totally concur with the following suggestions Routman gives to help speed up this process:
1.Ensure EARLY success for every child-make each child shine no matter how small the success.
2.Model Respect-this is a huge one.  I believe it is imperative to treat EACH child with respect.
3.Encourage shared decision making- we are one, big, happy family for the year and everyone has to make their contributions and share responsibilities.
4. Tell the stories of your life-this one in HUGE!  My kids are always more engaged when I am sharing stories with them about my daughter, Alexis and my dog, Lady. They want to hear what I do outside of AMES:)
5. Read stories aloud-YES!
6. Learn about their reading lives at home.
Another obvious suggestion would be LISTEN to them.  I try to get to know my students better by talking with them at lunch, recess, small group and by attending their after school events.  It is amazing the things I can learn about my students when I actively seek to know them better and ask meaningful questions because" you can't bond with someone you don't know!"

Vickie Thompson-Routman-Chapter 6 Plan For and Monitor Independent Reading

       I love the opening quote in Chapter 6-"If proficient readers typically read extensively on their own, as the research suggests, it would seem prudent, even scientific, to develop this habit in young readers."  What a powerful statement!  I have always believed in the philosophy that students need to spend the majority of the day reading not just through IR time but across the curriculum.  This  needs to be established from Day 1 as we begin to set up our classroom routines.  Teaching the students to PICK the right book and build stamina is powerful and effective.  Being consistent with this  throughout the year is the key to success!  Making sure each child is choosing books on their level, varying genre choice, and staying focused can be quite a juggling act at first, but once these routines are established it becomes a well-oiled machine. I like the way Routman puts it, "Independent reading provides the indispensable practice that literacy learners require to become successful, self-regulating, self-monitoring readers."

Beth Sullivan-March/April Blog 7: Routman Chapter 10-Examine Guided Reading

          I enjoyed reading this chapter and it has changed the way that I look at guided reading. Early in the chapter Routman shares that she has a broad view of guided reading.  Routman defines guided reading as “any learning context in which the teacher guides one or more students through some aspect of the reading process: choosing books, making sense of text, decoding and defining words, reading fluently, monitoring one’s  comprehension, determining the author’s purpose, and so on” (p. 151).  I have always pictured guided reading as just reading groups usually with a high, middle and low group.  After reading this chapter I now know that I have had a very narrow view of guided reading. Routman points out that the traditional small-group guided reading lesson is the core of guided reading but an informal reading conference can also become a guided reading lesson.   Routman also stresses the importance of carefully grouping students and keeping those groups flexible.  I agree flexible grouping is so important!  Students grow, achieve and develop skills at many different rates and in order to truly meet their needs movement between groups is essential.  This is something that I did not do a very good job of early in my teaching career.  I worked hard to group students for reading but those groups rarely changed. Finally, Routman also addresses the importance of picking quality books and using time wisely.  She is quick to point out that guided reading is important but that it should not take up the majority of reading instruction in the classroom.  Independent reading time should still be the first priority. 

                Routman devoted a whole section of this chapter to guided reading and literacy activities in a kindergarten classroom.  I am always eager to learn more about what reading and writing should look like in a kindergarten classroom.  Routman emphasizes that young students need to be involved in activities that allow them to develop social, emotional and physical skills in addition to academic skills. Literacy activities need to be meaningful and not just busy work.  She shares that many kindergarten teachers do not have guided reading groups but provide many reading and writing opportunities for students throughout the school day.  As I read this section I reflected on my own classroom and the learning experiences that I provide for my students.  I found that many of the reading and writing activities shared in this chapter are reflected in my classroom.  For example, each student in my classroom has their own book basket with carefully selected books.   Additionally, during the first half of the school year I spend a great deal of time on letter and sound work.  This continues all year for students that need it.  I also read aloud daily to my students, have a daily morning message, provide daily writing activities and integrate science and social studies skills and concepts during reading and writing times.  I think the biggest change in my literacy instruction has been the addition of a daily independent reading time.  While I do not have a traditional guided reading time in my classroom I do have small group reading time each day.  AMES kindergarten uses a program called Read Well Small Group.  This program provides direct instruction on reading and phonics skills and provides opportunities for shared reading and guided reading in a small group setting.  Comprehension and oral language work is also built into the program.  This program provides high quality books, ongoing assessment and allows for flexible grouping.  While this program is not perfect it does enable students to work in small groups and on skills that best help them grow as readers.  Finally, I love how Routman stresses that in order for teachers to make the best decisions for students the focus should be on learner-centered reading instead of program-centered reading.  Student needs change and taking the time to reflect on the programs and learning opportunities we provide for our students is important in order to make sure that we are best meeting their needs. 

Jill McDougald's Blog Post #7 March/April Ch.6 Plan for and Monitor IR/Ch.7 Make Assessment Instruction's Working Partner

In Ch. 6, Routman really emphasizes that students need independent reading time to become better readers.  We, as teachers, need to make it happen. Students need to be able to pick out their "just right" books.  It is the teacher's responsibility to teach their students how to do this.  As the teacher, I need to monitor my student's book choices through conferences.  If a student constantly chooses to read the more difficult books but he can't recall or understand what he has read, it is a waste of time. During conference time, I can check for understanding with the student.  Then, at that time I can help redirect the student's choices. The choices the students make are very important.
Slow progressing students and students with special needs need to be given more opportunities to read independently. I feel they need to start out with very easy books so they can build self confidence. Here's the reason I say this, one day I realized one of my little ones was picking very short books with very little words. I slipped a book into his book box that I felt he could read because it had a lot of sight words he knew.  I ask him to come conference with me and bring his book box. As he was picking a book to read to me, he found the one I slipped in.  He looked at me and said, "I didn't put this book in here."  I told him I did.  He looked at me and said, "I can't read that book."  I asked him why, he said it has too many words.  I told him I thought he could and let's try it. Hesitantly he opened the book and started reading.  I encouraged him throughout the book and reminded his to use his picture clues.  He read the majority of the book by himself!:)  After reading, I looked into those big brown eyes of his and said I told you you could read it!  My reward was that big smile I got back from him.  From that moment on, he knew I believed in him and he believed in himself!  He is now reading up a storm!

In Ch.7, Routman talks about making the assessment of IR an ongoing assessment with what the student has chosen to read.  She says during conferencing time, tell the student what their strengths are, what they need to work on then make some goals to achieve.  She also suggest use every opportunity we can to teach from what we have assessed from conferencing.  It may be a need for one student, a small group or the whole class may benefit from it.

Both of these chapters have helped me see a picture in my mind how I need to structure and assess IR time next year.  I will send a parent letter explaining how important IR time is for higher student achievement.  I will put a copy of the guidelines for picking out a "just right" book inside my student's IR folder and title it, A "Just Right" Book for Me.  When I confer with my students, I need to be more relaxed and ask them to tell me about the book instead of me asking questions at first. I really liked her Framework for An Informal Reading Conference and the "Child Friendly" reading goals.  I plan to make a copy of these to use next year to get my year started off on the right foot.

Laura Keller - Miller Section 2: Why not? What works? Jan/Feb blog

In each chapter that I read, I automatically reflect on what I am personally doing in the classroom. Sometimes I think, "yuck" I am really messing that up, and other times I think "woo hoo" I am doing this right!  When reading this chapter I automatically note that 3rd grade teachers are allowing time for Independent Reading.  Yay, we are doing that right!  We allow for time in the classroom and encourage reading at home by requiring a reading log.  We are doing okay with providing support.  I should be honest and say that my team teacher, who is the ELA teacher, has scaffolded successful strategies for Independent Reading since the beginning of the year.  When IR is happening in my classroom, I am more there for them to tell me about what they are reading.  I enjoy listening to their excitement and I also treasure that they are taking interest in the book.  Next year, I want to do a better job of structuring the Independent Reading time to allow myself more time to help and observe.

One of my favorite points of this chapter talks about all the different books and quantities of books that are needed in the classroom.  I identify with the author when she talks about her taste in reading:  newspaper, books about travel, and People!  I am not one who has a chapter book in my hand all the time.  So, in my classroom I respect the fact that the students need a variety to read.  They may all not want to read fiction.  This year has been wonderful since our administration has helped us purchase books to increase our variety.  This Summer I will spend more time organizing my library to include different genres.

Overall, this book, the class, and the climate in general have given me the will to want to be a more responsible and responsive reading teacher.