Reading Workshop

We're a few weeks in now. Many of you have spent your days wading through the first unit of study your team wrote back in June. You're quickly finding out what works and what doesn't. Your team is tweaking your plans and changing how you plan for the following units of study. Many of you have students deep in books, some even with overflowing book boxes, and it is a wonderful thing!

So take a minute with me to reflect....

 I love this video. I have watched it several times at different points in this journey and I am always grateful to be reminded of the impact a well-designed, well-run reading workshop. There are a few things that stick out to me from the video, I've noted them and connected them to our work below:

"Outgrow yourselves, over and over and over"

This process of crafting units of study, assessing and collaborating is an opportunity for increased student learning, but it also provides job embedded professional development as well. Don't pass up the opportunity to grow as a teacher, growing pains aren't always easy to handle, but its worth it!

"The reading workshop works, not because its based on market research but on reading research."

I love the way Calkins directly addresses the issue of "teacher-proof" curricula. There are some intelligent people that have written some great resources, but the simple fact that they have never been to EP, or met an EP child, should mean that we approach with caution. In effort to be sure we "cover" all the standards, we often seek an external source to tell us what to do. I believe that familiarizing ourselves with research and standards, tuning into our students, and collaborating with our professional learning teams, we can deliver high quality instruction to EVERY student. 

"Explicit and direct instruction through demonstrating and scaffolding."

This is the real purpose of large and small group instruction. The expectation is not that our students would learn everything they need to know in those times with us, but rather that they would see high quality examples of what to do, be guided in how to do it and then given time to practice doing it. If we're the only ones talking, we're the only ones learning and working. 

"Time to talk about books" 

Notice Calkins was talking about kids talking about books, not adults. I have already seen some great examples of students in our schools who are learning what it means to have meaningful conversations about their reading with their peers, keep up the good work!

"Access to a variety of texts"

This is essential. It does not matter how old or young the student is, how much they like Volcanoes or the Harry Potter series, it is our job to expose and explore many different kinds of texts with our students. It is also our job to create an environment where they want to branch out of their comfort zones. 

"Consistent and predictable environment so that students can carry on and teachers can teach."

If  you're having trouble with this as you begin your second unit, go back. Take a day to address it and revisit your anchor charts. Your reading workshop will only be effective if your students gain independence in reading and writing about reading. 

"Teaching our hearts out, so no child gets left behind."

You do this, the best you can. I just like hearing her say it.

"It's not ok to have 80% of our kids at reading proficiently." 

Overwhelming, yet profound and so very true. Especially when we are aiming to inspire each student every day!