Isn't it interesting trying to figure out how to translate what we've been learning for three years into practice?
Here's what I'm thinking about right now: literacy block. I'm sure it looks different for every grade (middle school friends, feel free to weigh in from other practica), but is anyone else feeling the struggle to find the ideal structure and balance? There just isn't enough time in the day, as Dana mentioned previously. How do we fit in everything that needs to be in our literacy block: word study, phonics, fluency, shared reading, guided reading, read aloud, etc. What is the balance between whole group, small group, and centers? My current struggle is that I feel like I'm spending too much time in whole group, and yet my students aren't independent enough to get a whole lot out of their centers. The literacy coach at Hickman holds to the principle that if students are reading or writing anything, of any quality, that it's educational. From her perspective, one of the most important parts of a literacy block is guided reading (I agree) and your centers don't have to be pretty, or really even functional, as long as students are reading, writing, or even listening to you read in guided reading then they're getting something out of it. Although I don't doubt they're getting something out of it, I wonder if they're getting the most. Is that really how we should be structuring our day? Creating centers, activities, and schedules on the principles that if students get something out of it then it's good enough?
If we swing the other direction and do spend more time in whole group so that students aren't spending an hour+ left to their own devices, am I leaving part of the class behind? I feel like I've heard a lot lately about the downfalls of whole group instruction because of the way it really doesn't reach a large part of your class. If we are going to do longer whole group, how can we make sure that all of our students are staying engaged? I think incorporating movement (like we talked about in the PE seminar) and using different grouping structures within whole group lessons are good ideas. What are some others that work for y'all?
How do you/your teachers structure your literacy blocks? What's working or not working? What does your literacy coach suggest? All I want is balanced reading instruction in 1 hr 20 minutes... Is it possible??
Sally, we also struggle with that. We have time from 8:15-10 to do reading and then 30 minutes before lunch, which is technically science and social studies time (like that ever happens.) My teacher decided that they would do morning work until 9. It is pointless work, which I don't understand but that’s what she does. During that block we pull reading groups. My teacher made the choice that she would rather see groups for more time and only see them three or two times a week. I was skeptical at first but WOW does it make a difference. Being able to see them for 30 minutes instead of 15 is GREAT. It is amazing how much more we can get done, and how much better our discussions have become. They are deep and rich with ideas and most importantly not rushed. Then at 9 we go for a bathroom break, which I also don't get because we have a bathroom in the room but then we come back at 9:15 and until 9:30 we do morning meeting. It is not great to have it so late in the day but it does help settle students down from the bathroom break. Then at 9:30 we do a whole group reading lesson using a mentor text, which is our read aloud/ shared reading depending on the day of the week we alternate. Then, they go to specials. When they come back they do Journey's and phonics using the Journey's. I know you don't have the same block of time but let me say the alternate day thing is key. You can't do everything everyday, but you can do everything at least once a week probably twice a week. Try that and see if that is helpful for your students. You're right, guided reading is key, so make sure to give that as much time as you need!
ReplyDeleteI’m in a middle school language arts classroom. We have 60 minutes a day with each student. Because it is language arts, we teach grammar, reading, and writing during that time. When I first heard about 90 minute literacy blocks in elementary school classrooms, it seemed like such a long time to me. However, I feel like 60 minutes is not long enough for reading in middle school. Many students read below grade level, so we either have to read everything out loud or they fall behind in the stories. Also, since reading and reading analysis is the focus in standardized assessments, writing is not emphasized at all. I try to include some small writing prompt into my grammar lessons, so that students are applying those skills in context, but the students spend little to no time on learning how to write essays or improve their current writing skills. The only time they worked on writing was the week before the writing assessment.
ReplyDeleteI know the students do a project based learning assessment at the end of every quarter, and I wish I could be there to see how writing is incorporated into those lessons. Like Avery said, you can’t do everything everyday, there isn’t enough time. However, I think that pushing all the writing and application skills to the end of each quarter is waiting a little to long to try and fit everything together.