Patricia Graham- Blog Post 7- Routman Ch. 12

I had to smile when I read Routman’s Chapter 12: You Only Have So Much Time.  Each year I feel the demands continue to increase though nothing is ever taken off the list.  We feel burdened by the tasks that we have to accomplish each day/ week while still trying to maintain a life outside of school.  My first few years of teaching I feel that I totally focused on my job and often neglected myself in the process.  While I can continually improve my teaching, I have come to learn the importance of having a balanced and interesting life.  It is important that I trust my instincts about my students, keep the work simple and meaningful, and find ways to use the time spent with my students effectively.

Routman mentioned the importance of keeping a lively pace, using transitional periods as teaching times, and using morning work sensible and pleasurable.  In the past my students completed Morning Work- Math and Reading.  Last summer I reflected heavily on the effectiveness of the morning work and decided instead to have the students do a variety of activities throughout the week.  This has helped to break up the schedule and in turn students are more motivated to complete the work.  I too believe in making resources easily accessible to all students to reduce interuptions and use the time block effectively.  I continually look at my schedule and the lesson plans to make sure that I am maximizing my time and allowing the students quality time to practice their skills. 

Ending the chapter, Routman stressed the importance of evaluating how we use our time and doing “whatever we can to ensure that our students love learning.”  Learning is a lifelong process and as elementary teachers it is so important that we instill this love for learning at a very early age.   

Carolyn Shackelford, Routman Chp. 6 Plan for and Monitor Independent Reading

Routman starts this chapter with an illustration of a school she visited and compared two classrooms. She did this to show how the amount of time students were given to read independently affected how they did on standardized tests, with the students who read more achieving higher scores. I agree with her statement that it's not just about the amount of time given for independent reading, but the accompanying components of mini-lessons, an excellent classroom library, conferencing and goal setting. I could also relate to her concerns that struggling readers need even more time to read, but often receive less. She reminds us that "We teachers are the only ones who can make this increase in reading happen and put an end to the substandard instruction that many of our low-performing students receive."

Routman encourages us, as teachers, to read as well during this independent reading time once we have established routines and gotten to know our students at the beginning of the year. I love the idea of  being able to set that example, but struggle with the notion of taking that time for myself when I could be conferencing or working with students one-on-one. 

This chapter also gives some great information to apply at the beginning of the year, when you are setting up your independent reading time procedures and components. I have worked hard this year to implement more conferencing time, but I would also like to focus on working in more share time. I have often observed it happening naturally between students as they head back to their seats after reading. I need to find a way to encourage all of my students to do this.

Finally, I really liked her final suggestion at the end of the chapter on how to show your students the difference between fluency and reading words accurately, is not enough. Bringing in a difficult text that you can read, but not understand and modeling how that is different from reading a book that is "just right" for you. What a great modeling lesson for the beginning of the year!

Patricia Graham- Blog Post 6- Miller Section 2

While Reading Miller’s Chapter 2, I was continually reminded that the Daily Five structure is an effective reading structure that allows teachers the opportunity to provide a quality balanced literacy program for the students.  At the beginning of the year, Michelle and I sat down and discussed the changes that we wanted to make in our literacy instruction.  While it is essential to teach students reading skills, we have often failed to teach students “how to read.”  Michelle purchased an integrated guided reading, shared reading, and writing workshop curriculum that not only taught all the essential skills but also focused on a variety of genres.  Together we have collaborated on how to use this curriculum as a guide to effectively help our students grow as readers and independently apply the skills they have learned. 

            With the Daily Five structure and above mentioned units, independent reading has become an important part of my literacy instruction.  Students are given explicit instruction, choice with their reading, and feedback to help them grow in their reading.  Last summer I worked on my classroom library focusing on organizing the books by students’ interests rather than by levels.  I hope to continue to grow as a teacher to effectively use independent reading as a way to help my students grow.

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."