This post will outline 5 steps teachers can implement consistent to run effective small group instruction in their classrooms.

Step 1: Determine your Data Source

Before you begin to pull a small group, you have to decide which piece of data you will be using to formulate groups. Common data sources are formative assessments (formal and graded tests) or informal assessments (student observations, classwork, homework, etc.). Think about which assessment is the most recent reflection of current student learning and use that one. If you use an older assessment, you might group students who no longer need the attention.

Step 2: Make your Flexible Student Groups

Review the data and highlight low performers. Then group together students struggling with the same skill. For example, if a few students all missed question #4 that dealt with two-step word problems, create a group tackling that skill with only the students needing help in that area. Depending on how long your instructional block is will determine how many small groups you can pull. Usually small groups last 15-20 minutes with an -re-introduction to the skill, guided practice together, and independent practice with feedback. Plan out your skill groups for the week.

You may have students attend multiple skill groups a week because they require additional time and attention to master skills. If you notice this, add an additional layer of support during whole group instruction. Otherwise, these groups are meant to be flexible and the students visiting should change based on the skill being covered.

Step 3: Plan Skill Based Mini Lessons

Now that you know what skill you are focusing on and which students need to attend the small group, its time to plan the mini lesson.

• Select your instructional materials
• Write your objective
• Draft or choose an example
• Practice how you will demonstrate the skill
• Draft or choose 2-3 guided practice activities to complete together
• Draft or choose 1-2 independent practice activities for students to do on their own
• Allot time for reviewing student work, providing feedback, and allowing them to make the appropriate changes

Once a student has demonstrated mastery of the skill (ie. they can complete the independent activities with accuracy), they are excused back with the rest of the class to complete whatever assignment everyone else is working on. If after instruction and feedback, students continue to struggle, make note and send them off to the whole class activity after the 20 minute mark. You will likely have to pull those students again another day for that same skill, but do not extend your small group lesson in the moment as it throws off the pace and plan of instruction for the rest of the lesson.

Step 4: Deliver Targeted Instruction

Be sure to teach a skill in isolation. If you add in too many skills or erroneous details, it could add to the confusion that the student is experiencing. In Reading, if you are using a text to practice be sure to focus your teaching on the skill instead of on the storyline of the text. In Math, if you are working on two-step word problems and there is a secondary skill available to teach (ie. cross out irrelevant information or using multiple strategies to check work), do not address it at this time. You can use the same word problem again in a future skill group when teaching a different skill, but keep each group to one skill at a time.

Step 5: Collect & Review Fresh Data

After you have completed the planned small groups for the selected skills, its time to repeat the cycle with new fresh data. Fresh data means the student performance information you are going to use is the most recent data you have access to. As a reminder, if you wait weeks before pulling groups based on a data report, the students may have mastered skills by this time and therefore it is considered “dead data.” Continue to collect recent data and teach small skill groups throughout the year.

This 5 step small group instruction protocol will help ensure every teacher provides high quality differentiated support to students on an ongoing basis. This will lead to an increase in teacher proficiency (skill level) and student achievement (grades, scores, etc.). The domino effect of transforming this one sliver of instruction has tremendous impact on everyone involved.

Practice the steps and if you find yourself needing feedback, reach out for help to instructional leaders (ie. facilitators, coaches, administration, etc.).

Additional Resources:

• Literacy Effectiveness PD
• Novel Study Guides
• Reteaching for Mastery PD

Want more support? Browse our full collection of printable and digital tools. You can also read more helpful posts on the blog—and don’t miss my latest book: Always A Lesson: Teacher Essentials for Classroom and Career Success.

GO BE GREAT!

The post 5 Steps for Running Small Group Instruction appeared first on Always A Lesson.

We are moving into our last unit in writing: Social Issues. I am really excited about this unit as students love to share their opinions. They become extremely passionate about topics and participate in debates with other students on important matters. This unit is geared towards my students’ interests and strengths.

I began by telling students we would learn about social issues. Normally I preface with a definition, but I wanted to see what response my students would give me. I provided a one minute think time for student reflection and then had them tune in to a read aloud from Storyline Online called “Thank You Mr. Falker.” Afterwards students’ interest was piqued and predictions of what a social issue was began. I finally told students that a social issue is a troubling problem that bothers a large population of people (generally in how they relate to one another).

They immediately nailed the social issue in “Thank You Mr. Falker” (bullying) and were eager to point out other issues found in their environment. So, we began brainstorming a list. Here goes:

1. debt
2. animal cruelty
3. traffic
4. pollution
5. obesity
6. teenage pregnancy
7. homelessness
8. social media
9. bullying
10. child abuse/kidnapping
11. distribution of drugs and alcohol
12. natural disasters
13. smoking
14. immigration
15. smuggling/stealing/mugging
16. food poisoning
17. jail sentences
18. gun control
19. seat belt laws
20. texting and driving
21. drunk driving
22. racism

23. robbery

24. wars
25. car wreck- falling asleep

I am so excited to see the amount of ideas students came up with. We recently talked about pet peeves so I thought they might get stuck in personal problems and not think globally. But, no worries here! I had to actually cut them off so that the lesson could continue!

I then had students choose 3 of the topics from the list that they felt resonated with them the most. I allowed them to then narrow further and star the one they felt the most passionate about; the one they could really get fired up about. I explained they would be writing a convincing piece to get the community on board with the support of finding a solution to this social issue.

Earlier this year we utilized an “Oreo” format to write a convincing argument. So I had students follow the familiar format and state their opinion on the social issue (the top of the oreo cookie), provide 3 reasons (the filling) of why this is a social issue and should be fixed, and a concluding statement supporting their cause (the bottom of the oreo cookie).

I was excited to see that students wrote about multiple issues and were able to really show me how much they cared about a  particular issue and why it important to get on board to finding a solution. These kids are ingenious. I am so proud to be their teacher- I learn from them every day!

Requiring a background check prior to employment

Child Neglect

Co-ed Sports Teams

Animal Abuse

Unhealthy Cafeteria Food Options

How do you encourage students to take a stand for issues they believe in?

The post Social Issues appeared first on Always A Lesson.

Testing has taken over my classroom! Not only do I feel like my legs will fall off any moment due to the amount of laps I have walked around the classroom during testing, but my kiddos are ready to explode with energy! As I was mentally to-do listing for four hours I realized the level to which this whole process is annoying. Now that students know everything they are to know for this year, I’m off stage. What am I supposed to do with myself?

This started to peeve me a bit. Thus…. I stumbled upon my next assignment for students:

What is your biggest pet peeve? Why?

Students put the correct heading on their papers and folded their paper in half from top to bottom. I modeled an example on the board:

My pet peeve is when I let someone in ahead of me in traffic and they do not say “thank you.” This bothers me because it is inconsiderate of other people.”

You could see smirks on students’ faces as ideas raced around in their heads. If we did not have to be mute while waiting for the “ALL CLEAR” testing announcement, students would have had a ball discussing this with each other. Nonetheless, students drafted responses.

I then had them switch papers with another student. The second student had to read the original pet peeve and draft a response. The response had to be a solution to eliminate the pet peeve or at least lessen its impact.

I was unprepared for what happened next. I had students turn their papers in to the “Completed Work” bin, not thinking that much time or thought went into the drafting phase due to students’ lack of energy and concentration after testing. However, I happened to glance down at a paper in the bin and it caught my attention. I decided to grab the stack and actually read through each of them (you know the assignments that students complete and turn in that you never get the chance to really thoroughly look through?). I am so glad I did! THEY WERE HILARIOUS!

Not only are students excellent problem solvers, but their pet peeves and responses were creative and humorous. (FYI: some papers show a star rating system from the original author quantifying the effectiveness of the peer’s solution; also, a word of caution… if your pet peeve is spelling do not continue reading! I’m sorry we obviously have some work to do!)

Below are some of the papers and my commentary. Enjoy!

This pet peeve is a popular one at my school. To save trees, we no longer use paper towels to dry our hands after using the bathroom. So, instead we had hand dryers installed. It was one of those “good idea at the time” implementations. The reality is its really loud, especially because our bathrooms do not have doors on them. Also, the hand dryer was installed on the wall that backs up to a classroom. So the Smart Board shakes every 30 seconds and the sound makes the teacher have to adjust their volume during instruction in order to maximize time (waiting until the sound stopped before it began again left a minute gap where little to no instruction would be delivered over the course of a day). I particularly like Terrell’s idea of ear plugs. Realistic and effective. Smashing it like the Hulk adds his personality to his solution which shows me his ownership in this feedback process. I appreciate the attempt!

Insects are also my pet peeve. I realize they’re necessary to keep the ecosystem balanced but man they are noisy and blood sucking! The grasshopper might not be the most annoying of insects but this child obviously has had a run in and is ready for a solution. I appreciate his peer’s response by starting with “Matthew.” I picture a parent looking down at a child with a “here’s what you need to do” look. His peer sounds very wise! Not only did they give one solution, but two. I also appreciate the lack of response to the pet peeve of showering. I can only guess the peer felt it was a necessary fact of life and no reason to address the issue. (That’s what I tell myself anyways…oh, the things you learn about your students! No water…check!)

Wow. I think we might have opened a can of worms. This child is obviously sick of being told what to do! I’m thankful there is no reference to me in here!! Joseph is really tapping into our character education by killing with kindness instead of focusing on the degree to which it peeves a person. Manners always help, thanks Joseph!

Evelyn has a great concern in my opinion. This is a daily occurrence in any elementary school. I have no idea why students have to be first to go anywhere. It’s a race to …what? I will never know what the great prize is because one is never awarded. Shoving is uncalled for and I appreciate the peer’s advice of using manners by saying “excuse me.” I would add some advice here: Explain you were in this particular place in line and that if they can explain why they must stand in your spot and its convincing enough, then they may have the spot- a little accountability with the “swoop in” maneuver. This might make things more interesting around here!

I LOVE this solution! Way to go Daniel! Setting boundaries and expressing expectations could eliminate this pet peeve. It sounds like sleeping the day away is not an option. However, a predetermined amount of ‘extra’ sleep on a day off isn’t unreasonable. A schedule is an accountability piece for Haley to live up to and for her mother to abide by. My favorite one by far!

I included Kokou’s paper in this post because of the description “100% loud.” I love that he quantifies the pet peeve- cracks me up! His peer certainly seems annoyed by this pet peeve as seen in the quick limitless response. Do this, or try this, or even do this… but either way its your problem dude!

I feel for this concern. Trying to get work done with bothersome noise is extremely difficult. Daniel is an avid reader so this is not just merely homework. He. Loves.To.Read.All.Day.Every.Day. This is his sacred time. So I can see how this is not merely annoying but a prioritized pet peeve. Haley has an excellent solution to crack down on the physical interruption. Now, we have to problem-solve the noise factor. Hmm…

Music getting stuck in your head happens to everyone. This is a pet peeve many people can identify with. Brian is certainly funny in his response. He gives the solution of distracting yourself from the song and placing a new song in its place. I’m unsure why the solution of thinking about Matthew was given, but Matthew is quite funny so maybe its another distraction technique?! Then there is the random ” my sister is one” aka “my sister is my pet peeve.” Ryan, the original author, seems to have come to grips with this aspect because he says “shes just being her.” I guess Brian did not feel he needed to address this issue as Ryan has embraced the annoyance and moved forward!

Hmm, a fly that rips your skin off…ouch! I haven’t met that kind yet, but if I do I am sure it will top my Pet Peeve list! God bless Keza and her laundry list of effective solutions: bug spray, fly swatter, frogs and spiders to eat the fly, and even hitting them yourself. Sounds like Terrell has a few options to try. This might not be a pet peeve for long!

Brian seems very perturbed. I am so glad I asked the question because I have learned so much about my students! I do see how a camera’s flash can be annoying, and the fact that we like to get the exact picture with multiple cameras. (I know I am guilty!) This is a legitimate pet peeve that, again, many people can identify with. Thank gosh for Ryan and his idea of just making copies of the original instead of waiting for each camera to get their own chance at the photo opp. Turning the flash off is always encouraged (especially for me because of “red eye!”).

How do you allow students to express their opinions in class?

The post Pet Peeves appeared first on Always A Lesson.

The past two weeks my students have been preparing themselves for the End-Of-Grade (EOG) Test. My grade level decided to write out all the standards covered on the test for both Reading and Math. We then divided the standards amongst ourselves. We planned to teach a two hour block for reading and then for math for two days in a row (4 hours of each subject in total). Day One would be reviewing the content. Day Two would be an assessment and based on results, pulling a small group of students to review the skill. Students who received 80% or higher received project-based learning in that particular subject, while the other students were pulled for differentiated instruction.

The schedule allowed us to begin with our own students for the first two days, then rotate. Another teacher’s class would arrive to my classroom for the next consecutive days to receive the same two day instruction plan. My students would move to another teacher’s room to receive two day instruction on a different reading and math standard. The cycle was complete after two weeks so students could visit 5 classrooms.

My reading standard dealt with informational text. I set up a thorough Smart Board file with slides that included a review of information, Brain Pop or Discovery Education video supporting the topic, and an example from a text to apply the skill. Students also filled in a graphic organizer to record information about each skill.

Once students filled their knowledge tank, they began a “Book Hunt.” There were stations set up around the room with different informational text features like “this text has a glossary” or “this text has an index.”Students were to read the poster, find a book with that text feature, record the text title and author on a post-it, and place the post-it on the poster.

They then rotated to 10 other posters around the room. Students worked in pairs and raced around the room to locate informational text features.

I was happy to see students applying their knowledge correctly and with excitement. They truly understood the concept! Smiles all around

Want a graphic organizer activity for students to sort books and take notice of genre text features? Click here.

How do you prepare for state tests?

The post Informational Text Book Hunt appeared first on Always A Lesson.

Updated Post: June 3, 2013

My school decided to have a reading celebration day last week. Our administration put a sign-up sheet outside their office door for staff members to sign up for them to come read to the class. My former student teacher stopped by to read to the kiddos.

My principal, Mrs. Henderson, also stopped by to read for a bit.

Students were encouraged to dress as their favorite storybook character. A handful of my students chose one of their favorite books and dressed up! (I was Amelia Bedelia… a character so literal; just like my students!)

We also implemented Reading Buddies between grades prek-2 paired with grades 3-5. I invited our first grade reading buddy class to join us in my classroom. We had a blast reading to and listening to our new friends!

[Look at the same class at the end of the year!]

Later in the day we had a parade! Students in grades 3-5 lined the hallway as students in grades preK-2 walked the halls showcasing their class’ book character. (The upper grades were able to choose individual books instead of a class book). Due to time constraints, students in 3-5 did not get the chance to walk down the hall to showcase their costumes. However, we will have another one in the Spring and we will ensure all students can participate in the parade.

It was such a fun, unique way to celebrate literacy as a school family!

How does your school come together to celebrate and strengthen the feeling of community?

The post Reading Celebration Day! *UPDATED* appeared first on Always A Lesson.

As a teacher, I try to maximize a learning experience by tying together multiple pieces in efforts to create a more comprehensive picture. One of the ways I recently did this was by signing up to attend a play based on a book, called “Freedom Train.” The book level is above my third graders’ reading ability, but I planned to use it as a read aloud, incorporate lots of multi-subject activities, and then  strengthen the experience by bringing the book to life in a play format.

Freedom Train is an amazing historical account of events from our past. Its impact is still much alive today as it was yesterday. It is heavy in the emotional department once you allow yourself to connect with the risk-taking individuals that I dare call “characters.”

In planning for this unit, I realized that the student-led book clubs that I currently had students engaged in would be the vehicle to introduce the book, Freedom Train. I have a cluster of TD (certified “gifted”) students and their book club is self-running at this point. They could handle the content and discussion of this text on a deeper level without my guidance. I then realized that they could share their findings with the entire class before the play. This would allow all students to go into the play with sufficient  prior knowledge and empower my TD cluster to take on leadership in the classroom by teaching their peers.

When I broke the news to my TD group they were more excited than I imagined. Immediately they came up with lots of ideas in order to convey the knowledge to their peers. The group dynamics were 2 African American students, 1 Asian, and 1 Hispanic. They each felt the pain and struggle as the “characters” described them in the book. They had numerous connections from their personal lives due to the same societal pressures and judgments. This book hit home for them without that being the intention.  But I soon realized that this book gave them power to accept their situation and become better for it. They have each other; together they went on this journey and “get it.”

They also will remember this moment in the future when they read quality literature and are able to identify with it on the same level; maybe even cause much of the same reaction as this particular text- tears, laughter, and anger. Their book discussions often had to be “hushed,” because they were so passionate about their thoughts, which in turn was distracting to the other students who were silently reading. They brought their own story to the table, discussed a uniform shared perspective (the book), and then continued to connect the two together to create a stronger self afterwards.

It was amazing to watch them along this journey. They read the book over the course of a month, discussed major themes and concepts weekly, and later created a Power Point to share with the class.

So the day came where we were going to attend the play Freedom Train through a children’s theater partnership. My TD group was beyond excited to see each event played out before their eyes, and the other students were so excited to see this play that their peers so excellently got them geared up for.

My TD group was sad to see that only the highlights made it to the play and were quick to judge the efforts of the talented staff. “Didn’t they know…?” “How could they…?” or “If only…” This made me laugh, but it gave me the opportunity to talk about lots of books that have become movies or plays and how due to time constraints only a handful of major events made it to the actual viewing audience.  Of course, my answer was not what they were seeking! Needless to say, they were amped up on the ride home!

The other students enjoyed the experience of going to see a play as well. They felt they were prepared and it was an accurate depiction based on the introduction from their peers. The actors did a great job of inserting funny moments to engage the kiddos (thank you!), but many events or concepts went over their heads. This subject is hard for young students to understand due to its depth. If this were an entire unit, I would have been able to delve deeper and really get all students emotionally connected to truly feel what was being portrayed on the stage. But, it is what it is and I am okay with it. My students enjoyed the experience for multiple reasons and I am thankful for that.

I found myself crying throughout the play due to the nature of the story. It was painful to see what individuals  had to endure during that time (even now!). The attitudes of many people were so inaccurate, judgmental, and unfair. I wanted to scream out and cheer on the brave warriors of this time.  I can’t even imagine myself living in this time period. How would I react? Would I survive? Would I help?

Overall, I am so touched that this book had a bigger impact than I initially intended. My students are growing by leaps and bounds in front of my eyes and are maximizing every opportunity I give them. They are teaching me more than I am teaching them. Its humbling, but I have to continue to push myself to provide for them so they can continue to grow. This unit of study has shown me how much students are capable of if you enable them to soar. These students were committed to this journey and I am amazed at their devotion, interest, and commitment.

I highly encourage the use of this book. Many students can relate to the events in ways you cannot even predict. The way students look at scenarios at times baffles me, but makes total sense. I’d love to hear more student perspectives on this book. I encourage you to try incorporating Freedom Train and then check back in with me to tell me how it went!

How do you take student learning to the next level?

The post Freedom Train appeared first on Always A Lesson.

 What book had a powerful impact on our students?

The post Literature that will Change your Life appeared first on Always A Lesson.

STARRING Jenny Stone Schardt

Hey there!

My name is Jenny and I’m from Glen Allen, Virginia, a suburb of Richmond.  I’m currently a stay at home mom to Jack {6}, Charlie {4} and Lizzy {2} but prior to that I was a teacher-teaching is my passion!  My degrees are from Virginia Commonwealth University.  I have a BS in Psychology {with a concentration in child psychology} and my Master’s in Teaching, Early Education. My certification is pre-k through 6th though I know my heart is in the primary grades.  I taught first grade for four years in Hanover County, Virginia.  My school was old on the oustide but inside we were truly blessed with the latest and greatest tools for our students.  Gretchen encouraged me to share a little funny tidbit about myself-I was set up on a blind date with my now husband by one of my student’s moms my second year of teaching! 

Anywho…

When I think of teaching, the subject / topic that immediately comes to mind is Guided Reading.  I could start a fan club, y’all.  Seriously, good stuff.  I was schooled in Guided Reading so other than my own childhood experiences, I never had any other experiences with teaching reading or writing, any other way.  In my experiences both through friends and fellow teachers, I have encountered dread over GR or fears of how much work it is…I disagree {gasp!}.  Yes, it’s work, but nothing WORTH doing is easy.  I found being organized and willing to go the extra mile during the first year, set me up quite nicely for the years that followed.  My goal is to give you a few of those tips here.

In my classroom, and across my grade level, we made every effort to have a maximum of 4 guided reading groups.  It certainly helped that our reading block was a solid 90 mins long.  During that time, my students would rotate within their group to various stations within my classroom.  Included: ART {activities related to our weekly theme / time with playdoh or clay or wiki sticks to promote fine motor development}; Computers {reading and writing activities}; Listening {books on tape followed by a questionaire to assess comprehension}, ABC {word work with current group word patterns and weekly word wall words – which were given to each grade level by our school reading specialist}

A couple of tips that I found most helpful:

*My ABC station stayed the same each week…after my first year it was a breeze because I had it all made!

Mondays – make weekly word wall words and weekly word pattern words with magnetic letters

Tuesdays – rainbow write {5 colors over pencil} weekly word wall words and 5  word pattern words 3x each

Wednesday – Use all 5 weekly word wall words and 5 word pattern words in 5 sentences —wow, that’s a lotta 5’s!

Thursday –  weekly word search – highlight the word wall words from the current and past two weeks in a word search

Friday – Word Games – both purchased and handmade {ie sight word bingo}

*Whenever my kids finished their stations early, they were to go to leveled reading {book baskets leveled according to GR levels} and read silently at their desk, a comfy spot in the room, etc.  They also could continue reading these books during quiet time after lunch where we had a calm, quiet, bathroom break with the lights off.

*Promote, promote, promote Scholastic Book orders!  They are such an easy way to expand your classroom library!

*I only had my class do writing journals on T / TH.  This was much more managable for me.  We had math and poetry journals also, but they were used during other times.

*Don’t get discouraged!  Every ounce of effort, second you spend, etc. is WORTH it.  Promise!

Happy {Guided} Reading!!!

Jenny

The post Guest Post: Guided Reading appeared first on Always A Lesson.

I love the smell of new books! I also enjoy the sights and smells of being in a bookstore- so relaxing and full of possibility. A love of books has been a part of my life since I was a child.

I fell in love with 2 series of books as a kid:

Mr. Men 

Berenstain Bears

My dad and mom would read to me nightly from one of these series of books. I loved the characters and store lines. Mr Bump, from the Mr. Men series, made me laugh the most- especially when my dad read it to me!

As I grew older I began to enjoy chapter books, especially the Babysitter Little Sister series. The font was larger and the chapters were shorter. Of course, I could relate to the main characters, where the original Babysitters Club series dealt with older girls and situations pertinent to their life.

I am hoping to instill the same love of books into my students. In fact, I have a special location for my Bernstein Bears books in my classroom library and students love to read them, especially knowing that they were my favorite childhood books. They treat them so nicely and eagerly attempt to read the 50+ books I have in stock. A few students even added to my collections for birthday, teacher appreciation or end-of-year gifts.

Getting lost in a book is what reading is all about. Today so much emphasis is on reading to take a test, versus reading to enjoy. As a reader, I appreciate creative authors that spin a story in a direction that keeps me on my toes. As a teacher, I appreciate books that teach children a lesson in an enjoyable way.

I encourage students to watch and read the Arthur and Franklin & Friends series because they are very similar to the Berenstain Bears books that I got them hooked on!

I hope all teachers can hook their students into reading for enjoyment so that they can not only educate themselves, but get lost in a world that does not require fancy, trend-setting technology. So much of what I have learned has come from my reading for enjoyment or purpose, rarely from reading to take a test. Get back to the foundation of why books were created and enjoy the simple activity of relaxing with a book in hand. Go escape today!

What series of books was your favorite as a child/adult?

What do your students love to read?

How do you encourage students to LOVE learning?

The post My Love of BOOKS! appeared first on Always A Lesson.

As End-of-Grade testing scores were released, I was very pleased with my class’ performance in Math. However, I was a bit bummed in Reading. I decided to reflect on what I could have done better to prepare my students-and no, not test prep wise. Our school still utilizes a reading textbook organized by theme. Our district is pushing schools to use a guided reading model instead. Our intensive instruction Reading Lab uses guided reading, but the classroom teachers still use the textbook. My last school was huge on guided reading and I really got to see the benefits of teaching students to read in this manner. So the first solution was to find a way to make guided reading my instructional choice while still weaving in some of the reading textbook (yuck!). I then met with my amazing Literacy facilitator to brainstorm some more ideas. She handed me a wonderful book called, “Readicide” by Kelly Gallagher. She explained to me that test prep is killing student’s love of reading and I could not agree more!

This post is comprised of my “ah ha” moments as I read the 5 chapter mini book. It inspired me to really rethink my approach to forcing kids to read to meet a goal, forcing kids to read to answer questions, forcing kids to read what they’re not interested in, and most of all forcing kids to read. period. WHY?! When I was a student we had D.E.A.R. time where we “Dropped Everything And Read” as well as S.S.R. (“Silent Sustained Reading”).  Even the teacher joined us. It was a solid 20-30 minutes a day and I remember LOVING chapter books because the Babysitter Little Sister series came out and the font was larger, the words weren’t as hard, and the books weren’t as long. I developed a love of reading from that precious DEAR time. Why does our day have to be so jam-packed we can’t step back and enjoy something, especially if reading is a priority in today’s classrooms?

Sorry… I am a bit fired up!   I better get back to my notes. By the way, I had 10+ pages of notes, so I only included a few points per chapter. (You’re welcome!) Here goes:

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Chp 1: The Elephant in the Room

-Shallow approach- Teachers have to cover a lot of topics, but they do not have a lot of time to dedicate to each topic. As a result, they skim the top and move on to the next topic. This is a shallow approach. Now students are drowning because the shallow approach does not go deep enough to allow students to comprehend the breadth of the material. Thus, drowning in shallow water occurs.                                            

-Sprint through material- Time is of the essence and in order to finish introducing each topic, the teacher must race through the material…regardless if children understand or not.

-Fudge scores- If schools and school districts are held accountable for their test scores, upholding educational standards goes to the wayside. In fact, if an incentive is offered to a school principal or district superintendent, most often figuring out a way to make the data look good is to fudge the data. Some schools retain students so they do not move on to a testing grade. Some schools encourage students who are not academically proficient to drop out of school before the testing grade. It is so obvious something is amiss if a school has high test scores and then those students move on to the next level of schooling and their scores drop rapidly. Do students forget everything they know? Or was something inaccurate about the data?

Chp 2: Endangered Minds

-Al Qaeda is not a person- students did not know the fact, but passed the multiple choice reading exam. This is sad. Students need to know what is going on in the world RIGHT NOW. It’s called “Cultural Literacy.”

– Olympic swimmers have access to a pool to practice before the big race. Students do not have access to a variety of quality reading material to practice before the big test.

– Students need to make academic and recreational reading a habit so as to catch up and close the achievement gap as well as become life-long learners. Adults need to be role models, especially teachers. Show them you read. Read right along with them! Don’t contribute to the problem; rectify it!

Chp 3: Avoiding the Tsunami

-overanalaysis & overteaching  (the tsunami) creates chopped up books so it is hard to dive into a good book if its constantly going on pause. This kills reading flow and students cannot get lost in a book. Would you go to a movie if it stopped often? Would you go skiing if you had to stop many times on your way down the hill? No, so don’t ask your kids to do it. Or, if you do…don’t expect them to love the book or love reading. Provide uninterrupted reading time.

– Accelerated Reader (AR)- The positive is that students read lots of books. The negative is that students miss out on reading great books if they are not listed as A.R., students choose books based on point values and not interest level, students are reading for the wrong reason (points) so their motivation is altered, and the program only has a short-term success rate.

-“Topic Floods”- use Google to find lots of text including stories, editorials, letters, magazines, comic books, novels, blogs, etc. on one hot topic. Allow students to glean knowledge and compare the framework of each type of text. This builds background knowledge.

Chp 4: Finding the “Sweet Spot” of Instruction

-Don’t hand a child a difficult book and expect them to know what to do with it. That is called underteaching. Don’t simply assign reading. Teach reading.

-Instructional approaches:  – <sweet spot>-<overteach or chop up (readicide)>

– First draft (survival, literal meaning, big chunks), Second draft and Third draft (small chunks, purposeful, close reading) reading helps deepen comprehension.

Chp 5: Ending Readicide

-Students who…. read less = read less well = do less well in school= do less well in the workplace = participate less in civic life

– Are we fixing the wrong things?

-Teachers act like a car factory. In Finland, teachers are entrepreneurs. But, they are supported as such by their government and school district.

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Why do we always have to be so P.C. about everything? In turn, we can’t celebrate anything anymore, we can’t call a spade a spade, and even worse, we can’t progress because we keep trying to keep everyone on an even playing field. So, instead of providing books to students, we do nothing because we can’t do it for everyone. I understand the point of being fair, and that all students deserve a great education and that includes materials, but…. shall we sit on our bottoms until the day comes that every child born to this great, green Earth can have the same of everything??!! It will never happen. If there is a fire, do you just sit there? No. You act. There is a fire in our schools… its called illiterate children. It’s not their fault. So get in there and DO SOMETHING. Starting is half the battle. Worry about reaching ALL children after you start. Otherwise, you’ll never pull the trigger and everyone suffers. Even you. They are our future. ACT NOW!
Thank you to Kelly Gallagher for this insightful read. I enjoyed each moment as I ranted and raved around my house! So right on with each issue. Our country is doing a major disservice that affects us all.

Have you read this book? Share your thoughts!
 (If you haven’t, please reach out and grab a copy. It’ll change your approach to teaching and life. )

The post Readicide appeared first on Always A Lesson.

BOOK ONE: There’s a Boy in the Girl’s Bathroom by Louis Sachar

Summary: A 5th grade bully named Bradley is crying out for friends but does not know how to go about it. He meets a wonderful friend Jeff who helps him meet new people and bring out his best self. He also meets with a counselor Carla that aids in his understanding of healthy relationships with peers. Of course, it has a fairytale ending of a huge turn-around in the main character

How I utilize the book: This book is all about bullying! Students relate to the main characters and see how the decisions these characters make effect not only themselves, but the classroom and entire school. This works well after any bullying prevention program as the strategies students learn can be applied in brainstorming solutions for the characters. Be prepared to slow down at parts as students “ooh”, “ahh”, and say “gross!” Making predictions daily keeps students engaged and they highly enjoy seeing if their predictions come true! (Here are some instructional materials I use.)

Its positive effect on my students: Bradley’s character brings out the insecure feelings of all students. This book allows students to talk about their own feelings by placing themselves in the role of the characters. This becomes a safe place to discuss social norms and appreciating the differences in others. Students originally hated Bradley for his many antics, but soon realized it was a cry for help. They started to sympathize with the main character and realized they may be judging others just like they had Bradley. Many students began to change their behavior towards other students.

My success story is with our very own class bully. He did not know the strategies for making friends and maintaining relationships with peers. He did not act out as badly as Bradley had in the book, but he sure stuck out in the crowd of a well behaved class. Through reading this book, this particular student began to identify with Bradley, and often said “Hey, Bradley is kinda like me.” As the discussion ensued over the next couple of weeks, this student said, “I’m not like that anymore. I have lots of friends and am nice to people.” Maybe he just needed to see he was not alone, and gained insight from his peer’s discussion. I am so proud to say that this student began the year on a behavior plan and ended the year receiving my “Model Citizen” award for being an outstanding role model to others!

BOOK TWO: War with Grandpa by Robert Kimmel Smith

Summary: A family of four has to rearrange their living situation to accommodate their grandpa moving in with them. Grandpa has a bad knee and needs to live on the main floor of the house. This leaves one room that he can occupy, and that belongs to the main character Peter. Thus, the beginning of the war as Pete plays tricks on his grandpa to earn back his room. This also has a great ending due to compromise and open communication.

How I utilize the book: Students love to hear how a child their age works through this problem. This book works well with cause-effect thinking maps. Chapters are short and highly engaging because the main character is writing about this event as a classroom assignment. Students beg to hear more! I often have students place themselves in the shoes of the main character to problem solve for him. Wait to read until the students have a strong report built with one another so that they can reflect on some of their own problem solving moments. (Here are some of my instructional materials.)

Its positive effect on my students: Students loved the entertainment found in this book. Many students bought the book to follow along with me! The lesson is learned each year that talking out your problems not only solves the initial problem but also avoids future problems. Students can be heard in disagreements saying, “is that the fair way?” or “what, do I have to wage war on you now too?” Funny yes, but the point is made. PLAY FAIR. RESPECT OTHERS. COMMUNICATE YOUR FEELINGS.

Students of all my classes combined have loved these two books. They are tried and true for hooking a young reader and being relatable to their feelings and experiences. I highly recommend these books for grades 2-5. K-1 and MS or HS please feel free to use but in a way that works best for your students.

What are the read-alouds you utilize each year?

What effect do they have on your students?

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I’m sure some of you teachers out there can relate to this stress of standardized testing. Students have worked hard all year to ensure they can pass this test. In the third grade, if you do not pass the mandated state test, you must repeat the grade. Now that is stressful! Of course, if I as a teacher can provide evidence that the student has shown significant growth on other academic tasks throughout the year, it is up to the principal to make the final decision. Let’s hope that won’t even be an issue this year!

I have seen some strategies shared on Pinterest that I want to incorporate into next year’s instruction.  I also figured there are even more ideas that my blogging audience can share.

Here are the strategies we use for Reading both fiction and nonfiction stories:

Fiction:                                                                                                                                                 Non Fiction:

What strategies do you teach your students to use (not just with state testing)?

Post pictures if you have them!

The post Reading Test Strategies appeared first on Always A Lesson.

I was just recently trained in utilizing Paideia seminars as a teaching strategy during my Literacy block. It was quite an intensive in-service, full of information, examples, and brainstorming sessions. As most things in my life, I learn by doing. So, planning everything out in detail was becoming too frustrating. I had a general outline I knew I wanted to follow and then decided to  jump in there and give it a shot; I could adjust accordingly later. My students are well behaved and love to help teachers become better, so this opportunity came during the right year! I explained to students what I had been learning (they love to know I learn things too!) and briefly gave them an overview of the activity; of course, with an objective in mind. Students were excited to try but hesitant because they had never done one before. “We’re gonna learn this thing together guys!” I encouraged them before we started.

If you are unsure of what I am referring to, here is a little background information. This teaching method originated in Greece and allows students to take on the reins of their learning. A teacher is not the leader in this scenario. Teachers pose a question for discussion and the students begin talking. The goal is for students to take a stand on an issue, back up their position with factual information, and debate with one another in a respectful manner. Shy students grow as speakers and outgoing students learn to share the floor. At first there is a lot of direction from the teacher, especially in modeling how to respond and wait your turn. But, by the end of the first seminar, students gain insights into their own thinking and experience alternative ways to interact with their peers. You can also incorporate a reflective time afterwards to discuss what went well and what needs to be improved upon for the next seminar. Handing over the responsibility to students as the driving force of discussion is the key! Check out some videos for ideas.

Some things I learned by the first experience are as follows:

• Allow students plenty of time to research the topic or reflect on their own beliefs prior to getting together as a group (provide any reading materials ahead of time)
• Use small groups, no larger than 10 students, so that students can speak multiple times and become more engaged in the experience (I divide my class into 2 groups and run seminar on different days)
• Keep a tally chart of who speaks to ensure some students don’t dominate conversation and encourage others to participate
• Allow awkward silence so students learn to share ideas and that you will not rescue the conversation (excluding extreme cases)
• Have fun!

I hope my lessons learned help you on your Paideia journey! I’ll be sure to update my “aha” moments after our second try.

Have you participated in a Paideia seminar? Have you done one with your class?

Please share your experiences!

The post Paideia Seminar appeared first on Always A Lesson.

My teaching has evolved over the years, especially in my instructional methods for Literacy. Six years ago when I began teaching, my district adopted a reading program comprised of various stories based on a theme. For example, Unit 1 contained six stories about animals and their habitats. Grouping stories this way helped students understand the unit’s theme through various story lines. The program outlined each lesson and followed the same sequence of instruction for each story. This was comforting as a new teacher. However, I noticed the stories varied in reading level and many were too hard for my students. I wished the stories grew in length and difficulty as the year progressed to match student’s growing reading abilities. Over the years, I grew very bored and tired with the format and limits of the program. Finally, a new principal came into the school and raved about a new approach called, “Guided Reading.” We were still required to utilize the previous reading program purchased and incorporate it as we saw fit. I could not wait to try this new approach after hearing such positive reviews.

For those that may be unfamiliar, Guided Reading is a small group model where students are reading texts on their individual reading levels. The idea is to focus on vocabulary development, fluency, and story structure. As the year progresses, students gain skills and their reading level increases. Charting such progress is helpful to a  teacher for planning and data purposes, but students also enjoy having a visual documenting their growth!

My principal encouraged us to set student reading levels using running records. We placed a student’s name and their reading level on an index card. As a grade level, we sat together and spread out the index cards to group students from levels A-Z. (Third grade being levels Q, R, S, T). Once the entire grade level was grouped, we decided which groups would report to which teacher’s room. I ended up with three groups of six. One group sat with me doing the guided reading lesson at the back table. Another group participated in reading activities on the computers, while the other group used tangible manipulatives for word work activities on the front carpet. After 20 minute increments, a bell would sound and my groups would switch. Thus, I would see three groups a day totaling one hour of reading instruction. Then students returned to their original classes. (You do not have to do this as a grade level, but I would have had numerous groups due to my students varied reading levels, and would not be able to meet with all of them on a daily basis).

This method is highly successful. Like I said, it is a visual for students and teachers to watch growth happen. We reassessed reading levels through running records each month and students were constantly moving in and out of groups (you may think that is annoying, but it is quite motivating for students to move when they are ready to move versus waiting until a predetermined time like the end of a quarter). Reading a text on a student’s level not only builds confidence and success, but students gain the foundational skills they may have lost over the years with other reading programs. Many students entered below grade level and were able to catch up to their peers by the end of the year.

This changed my teaching. I never again want to be forced to use some reading curriculum because the district purchased it. I want to utilize a program that is personalized and that creates successful readers.

Does your school use guided reading? If so, how do you implement it?

If not, how do you think you could convince your school to try it?

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