Hello! This is my first post and I want to start by saying THANK YOU to everyone who has been adding to the discussion. I am loving it all.
I am a former Reading Recovery Teacher who has been "transferred" this year to a job as literacy coach/ teacher leader for grades 3 and 4. So I am kind of new to all of this. I am really very interested in how you are finding time to get in all the necessary literacy pieces. I read from Beverlee: I do a combination of things because we are Reading First. We can't do writer's workshop or spelling during reading time. I do teach strategies with the core and with read alouds. I also use The Daily 5 to help with independent reading habits. It is awesome and powerful. Students do become independent. I have flexible groups and use workstations. I think when I used to use centers, it was busy work (worksheets). Now I use Debbie Diller's workstations and make sure it is purposeful. Kids do like to be up and about. I have 8 different stations each week and it really works - kids are engaged and a lot of reading does go on. My independent reading time is separate from the 90 minute block. Writing is also separate. I don't see how it can all fit in a day. Unfortunately the 3rd and 4th grade teachers in my school are now departmentalized. One teacher for Langue Arts one for Math and one for Science and Social Studies. The Reading Block is an hour and there is an additional 45 minutes for a writing block. Can anyone share with me how you are making this work? Thanks, Margo _______________________________________________ Understand mailing list Understand@literacyworkshop.org http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/listinfo/understand_literacyworkshop.org
