I think it is wonderful that our district recognized that centers will work for some (though they never worked for me, to be honest) and that others are far more able/comfortable with a pure workshop (that would be me). Ginger's advice about using some tasks for kids getting used to gathering for guided reading while using teacher energy to help shape the behavior of the other kids--true regardless of whether you are a center or workshop based teacher. When I work with teachers practicing venter-based instruction, we focus on the nature of the centers. Are activities truly open ended and do they really leverage genuine reading and writing--as opposed to busy work? A teacher I much admired once told me her best centers were just workshop in disguise.
As I am working with teachers who are perplexed about moving kids along, I often (not always) find that record keeping is not thorough and ongoing, so I generally focus there. Most teachers at the primary level willing take running records but often they fail to reflect or analyze. It is not so much that we expect the m-s-v reading recovery type of analysis but more that we look for evidence of teacher reflection--what is kid doing? What about those cool things that kids do that escape the running record--like I saw a kid last week pause at bold faced print (term: guide dog) and reference a photo and caption to clarify what a guide dog does. Way smart--my notation was something like"Questions meaning on familiar words, checks NF text features to support meaning making." I help teachers see that the importance of record keeping is to build pictures of readers across time. With our strugglers at the earliest levels, I show teachers some of Clay's insider tricks--cut up sentences, writing extension, etc. I can identify with your coach. In addition to district responsibilities, I work with two schools. I focus first on new teachers, then on teachers of concern. In one school, I can easily work with all teachers. In my other school, there are 17 classrooms as compared with ten and far more concerns. It is not an easy job and I often chastise myself for neglecting the able teachers who are driven to learn. Lori Jackson ----- Original message ----- From: Ginger Anderson <gingerander...@sbcglobal.net> To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group <mosaic@literacyworkshop.org> Date: Sunday, February 15, 2009 5:13 PM Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] workshop approach > I spend time practicing behaviors. Most of my time at the beginning of the > year was spent with the groups that weren't in my guided reading group. I > give them a simple task and then I wander around the room refocusing the rest > of the class. After doing that for several weeks, I actually can meet quietly > with the "guided" group. It was time well-spent. > > > > > ________________________________ > From: Cindy <pierc...@comcast.net> > To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org > Sent: Sunday, February 15, 2009 10:00:46 AM > Subject: [MOSAIC] workshop approach > > Hi Lori, > This is our second year in the "balanced literacy" mode. They push us to use > a center-based approach. The problem in our school is that the behavior is > so bad that it is hard to keep kids on task. My reading block is finally > moving more smoothly. Our school suffers from a high turnover rate, also. > Our schools sound very similar. Our reading coach doesn't do much besides > criticize, though. She models to the first year teachers, but offers no real > suggestions. I am hearing teachers talking about going back to whole class > reading instruction because of the behaviors. It breaks my heart because we > are finally making strides with getting these kids reading by doing the > guided reading groups. Are you doing something beyond the guided reading > groups that is particularly helpful? Our grade level just has particularly > badly behaved students this year. We each have 6 pretty serious behavior > problems, and I actually have 10 out of 17 that are behavior > problems. It is hard to keep them on task with center work. I also have 8 > that are reading below grade level. I have four that have moved from > preprimer to first, and two that are still at primer. Two other have moved > to beginning second grade. It would be nice to move them faster. I'd love > any suggestions. > Cindy/VA > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
