Thursday, June 26, 2014

Reading in the Wild: Planning Reading Workshop {Part 2}

Here's hoping you joined in the chapter 1 fun last week.  If not, definitely click HERE to check out what it was all about and explore all the other bloggers that are participating/hosting the book study along with me.  You definitely won't be sorry!!

There is a tiny little 4-page chunk at the end of the chapter all about developing a reading workshop in your classroom to support wild readers in your classroom as well as every thing else that comes in to play as modern day teachers that we are.

I'm going to be honest here, I do not have a reader's workshop in my classroom.  It has been attempted more than once over my 9 (soon to be 10-year) career and really got off the ground back when I started using the Daily 5 (I adapted it to Daily 3) and CAFE my last year at my old school.  Then, I transferred schools and had to readjust to different scheduling, requirements, and the environment.  So, I'm looking forward to reading what everyone else comes up with on their blogs this week for sure!


See...what you have here are some oooooooooold pictures from my 2009-2010 classroom when I first decided to try Daily 3 and CAFE.


It worked so well for me that year and I tried so so very hard to follow what the 2 Sisters set forth in their plan.  But I still didn't embrace it fully because I didn't completely like all parts of it.  I don't know if it was the management or if it was the particular lessons.  I do remember not liking how I had to slowly but surely roll out the modeling of certain behaviors and what not.  That might be the BIGGEST part of me stopping it.

So, now that I've seen how well the ideas in The Book Whisperer work for me and my kids in the past AND starting the process of reading Reading in the Wild, I can see how I have to find a way for it to work for me and the students.  I'm willing to try it again and revamp it when necessary because of how independent reading will be the front runner.  But...and this is a big BUT...it will be insanely tricky with the first year of Common Core being rolled out and so many changes in the benchmark assessments this year.  To be honest again, I'm not sure how it's going to work out or if it will work out.
Two things you should really know from this short section:
  • "What matters most is that our daily work in the classroom values best practices and doesn't become bogged down with a log of must-dos and tired activities that crowd out authentic learning opportunities for our students." (p. 40)
  • "It is our implementation and management of it.  Are we creating a place where reading a lot, writing a lot, and thinking a lot happen in our classrooms?" (p. 41)
Once you grasp the above, start working on what you want your workshop to have (just like a wish list).  Use the rule of thirds to divide it up amongst whole group, independent practice, and independent reading.  I plan to use the two sample schedules (one of those is below) in order to try and figure out what will hopefully become a successful workshop for my students and I.


Do you use reader's workshop in your classroom?  I'd love to hear your tips and tricks as well as things to avoid.  

Link up below if you have your own blog and if you don't, definitely leave comments and we'll start up a discussion!  



Comments (13)

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Ha! You took the same quote as me for an important take-away! Glad to know that stuck out for others too! :)
Jivey
1 reply · active 559 weeks ago
It totally did! How funny that it was those exact two that you also pulled out. :-)
I love your board and totally understand the feeling of it not totally working! I'm going to venture into the Daily Five and am definitely going to have to tweak some things. :) Thanks so much for linking up!
My recent post Creating a Reader's Workshop Schedule
1 reply · active 559 weeks ago
The Daily 5 is definitely a fantastic program, format, or whatever one might call it. I loved the idea of it and at the time my SEI kids really needed it! But time got away from me on many occasions and it was hard to keep up with the scheduling of things. I want my kids to be able to choose their centers just like Catherine does in her room since that is what I do for my gifted kids anyway. But I am positive you will love Daily 5! Have you tried to read CAFE? That is the part I truly loved even more than Daily 5. :-)
I definitely relate to your post! I'm going on my 8th year and only really tried implementing readers/writers workshop this year...if that's what you want to call it :) It has always been a struggle, I will try something and then things change...new curriculum, new schedule, new grade level. This year my main focus will be creating a workshop that works for me and my kids! It is also nice to know I'm not alone in this!

Chelsea
Fifth Grade Wit and
Whimsy
2 replies · active 557 weeks ago
I'm so glad I am not the only one in our little linky who hasn't fully implemented something for more than a year. Phew! I am a very successful reading teacher (I teach all subjects too) and my students come away with so much each year. But it is something I know I need to get a hold of, but I'm one of those weirdos who just can't seem to do it the way everyone else does. I feel your pain with all the changes for sure. Did you check out Catherine's post yet? Hers brings up so many good ideas I can try in my room and combine it with what Donalyn shared. Good luck! Hopefully, we can visit each other's blogs this year and see how each one is doing. :-)
Yes, I did! She has some awesome ideas! I've been taking notes on all the great ideas everyone has had during this book study. I loved your ideas for week 2's chapter!
Chelsea
I am definitely are enjoying reading about what everyone is doing in reading workshop. This year I want to try it, but I want to combine reading and writing (maybe a literacy workshop) but I am having a hard time trying to figure out a way to put it together. Does anyone have an idea? I will a 2 hour block towards the end of the day, so I know I need to have them up and moving, I am just worried about the noise. I AM A CONTROL FREAK!
1 reply · active 559 weeks ago
I like the idea of your literacy workshop for sure. That is something I HAVE to try and do since it's a huge part of CCSS. The whole respond to reading is big and I know it would easily transfer over through a workshop format, so I'm willing to give it a go. Have you considered trying choice menus? Check out Catherine's post for an idea on that. I'm trying to get more of my choice menus up on TPT, but right now I only have my Plot Elements menu. Sigh. You can try checking out the preview I have there to see if it might be something you want to try. Choice menus are such amazing tools!
Hi Carrie! I didn't realize you were in AZ or maybe I did and just forgot. I loved your honest about how you struggle with this time of day. I was really struggling as well. Maybe it is because I am like Jennifer and a control freak. Maybe I am just still too new. I am not sure but I am gonna try this year.

Misty
Think, Wonder, & Teach
My recent post Time for Reader’s Workshop!
1 reply · active 559 weeks ago
What part of AZ are you in? Yeah for trying to survive the heat right?! I'm definitely a control freak too, but it also has to do with the time it takes to plan everything out. That is an issue for me with the scheduling conflicts to throw in as well. I too am not sure and will do my best to try it this year. We are in it together! :-)
I completely understand how you're feeling! Tackling workshop can seem so daunting! I am a huge fan and really believe in the effectiveness of it- and I swear it's super simple once you wrap your mind around it. My tips for implementing it would definitely be 1) setting high, high, HIGH standards at the beginning of the year and practicing the expectations for how it runs. Once your learners know what's expected of them, they do a great job working, but it definitely takes practice and a little hard work :) I really enjoyed reading your post. Thanks so much for sharing!!

XO, Kelly Anne
AppleSlices

My recent post Creating a Reader's Workshop
1 reply · active 559 weeks ago
I am a huge believer in those high expectations as well. So, as soon as I find a system that works for me and that combines well with those high expectations of mine...I will be set to go! Woop woop! :-) Thanks for sharing your tip and for stopping by. I haven't had a chance to look at anyone else's post because I've been working for my district on pacing guides for the year. It was tiring!

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