This chapter title "hits the nail on the head"! I feel this stress on day one of a new school year. I giggled when Routman talked about the different times we think about what we are teaching for that day. My thinking happens in the middle of the night, when I'm taking care of Kelsey's needs and on the weekends, etc. I need to learn to trust my instincts and experiences to guide my planning and teaching. Routman suggests we keep independent work simple. I agree! I don't like giving worksheets as busy work that I have to find time to grade. Some of her suggestions were: simple book projects, read with a partner, finish a story started in guided reading , independent reading and responses to reading. In planning my independent work, I need to ask myself, Is this activity helping my students become more independent as readers, writers, and thinkers? If not, I need to throw it out!
In reading the section titled, Use Transitional Periods as Teaching Times, it reminded me that I need to review concepts taught while we are waiting on our friends finishing up in the bathroom, getting in line to go to specials and getting packed up at the end of the day. On the topic of my Word Wall, I could play "I Spy" and give clues to words on the word wall and have the students guess what word I'm talking about. This would be a great review of the words.
This chapter has some great ideas on how to maximize my teaching time. I really need to make a cheat sheet to remember all of them. LOL! Lastly, I must make sure my students make a connection with their learning so they will develop a LOVE of learning! That's very important to me.
Is this activity helping my students become more independent as readers, writers, and thinkers? If not, I need to throw it out! This was one of my favorite quotes from the book! Somehow over the years we as teachers were told we had to have "Assessment" as part of our lesson plans. Somehow over the years that has been translated as "worksheet." Learning, and evidence of learning does not have to come in the form of a worksheet! Regie offered some great alternatives!
ReplyDeleteI love your I Spy game suggestion. I know your students would love that!
Hi Jill,
ReplyDeleteI appreciate so much your willingness to engage in reflective practice and to continually determine what's working, what's not, and what we need to do about it. I appreciate you taking time to create possibilities such as the "I Spy Game" to help your students grow as readers. Sincerely, Dawn