Video Notes

How to Organize Your Classroom

• Use tables and not desks because kids have to be collaborative in the classroom, they have to be team members and effective communicators to work in the space together
• In the center of each table, they have tissues, hand-sanitizer, pencils, erasers, math manipulatives, on the side there is a basket of crayons, glue sticks, markers and then a set of drawers which houses more individual items
• The meeting area=is the home base.  First thing in the morning the kids come in and gather for calendar, what they are going to do for the day, job chart, and other items
• The classroom library-includes books featured by students in the classroom, all different themed books, author studies (books by the same authors in separate baskets), leveled books which can go into their individual book boxes along with guided reading books for the teacher
• Word wall-in ABC order and when they go through the new words, they get put up on the wall (big words and font), also includes social studies and math vocabulary from the unit

Selecting Just Right Books

• You should look inside the book to see if the book is ‘just right’ for you by…
  • Read a bit of it to yourself to make sure you can read the words on the page
  • Listen to yourself read, and see if you can read fluently (does it sound smooth)
  • Read with expression, use facial expressions and intonation to read where your voice should change to show you are understanding what you are reading
  • Most important!!! Make sure you understand what you are reading (comprehension)
  • Do your own thinking when you read
  • Still choose a book that you are interested in

How to Pick a Just Right Book

• Too hard=more than 5 tricky words
• Too easy=can read the book fast and fun, but not much learning happening
• Just Right=there a couple of words that are tricky and the reading is bumpy, but not a lot of the time

Reading Workshop Overview

• Reading workshop is reading in its natural form
• You have the opportunity to teach every student every day and work with them on what they need
• Starts with a mini lesson which helps children focus on a certain aspect of reading (thinking of theories that the story might have)
• Along the way, there are discussions during reading and conversations, questions and partner dialogs
• After mini lesson, check in with the student to make sure thy know what they are going to do as a reader
• Then students go back to their desks, and have silent reading time, they are reading to themselves, while the teacher goes around the room and does the teaching/conferring with the kids, students get comprehension/skill work individually.  They are practicing something they need to help them become a better reader

Reading Workshop: Mini Lesson

• Mini lessons help students focus on certain aspect of reading (ex. character traits)
• Always model to the students what you want them to do later
• Ask questions
• Have discussions with the kids
• Have students talk with a partner to share their ideas
• When students are talking and sharing they are using their background knowledge
• Teachers need to get out of their chair and listen to their conversations
• Use metacognitive strategies where you as the teacher talk about what you are thinking
• Get kids excited to read and the rest will fall into place!!