Chapter+6

Chapter 6 from Bobbi Friend #1 The idea of whole-class studies makes perfect sense to me despite the fact that reader’s workshop is about individual students reading their own books at their own levels. It makes sense to me that when we teach strategies that we would like our students to use until they become skills, that we would introduce these strategies as whole group lessons and studies. The authors tells us that these studies “offer exposure to different genres and different purposes for reading, offer opportunities to expose students to different strategies for deeper reading, help focus students on working toward a few goals, and they allow different grades to differentiate their curricula so students are exposed to a variety of whole class studies from year to year”. The reasons stated all say to me that we need to develop units of study in reading just as we would in science and social studies.
 * __Chapter Six: Supporting Students During Whole-Class Studies__**
 * 1) 1. Reading as well as writing workshop revolves around month-long studies. As the author states the four reasons for scheduling your year around these units of studies, we observe how the focus on reading skills spiral throughout the year. On page 62 they state "the core skills do not change during the year, but the context in which they apply them does". Look at the reasons for having whole-class studies and comment on one or two of these as they pertain to your teaching.
 * Respond Here:**

I think that scheduling my year around units of study tie nicely across the curriculum. I am exposing my children to different genres and reasons for reading. I also will be exposing the students to strategies for deeper reading. No more haphazard goals. These goals will be specific and used in a consistent way. This whole class study will be used with other courses of study. I seems to me that I can give my students more with this mode of teacher preparation.

Margaret Fox

I totally agree with Bobbi's comments. I also see the importance of the whole-class studies focusing on many reading skills at a time. The spiral throughout the year is critical in reading as in any subject. We don't want to teach skills in isolation but rather in a way that the learner can use the newly acquired skill in any circumstance that he encounters. I agree with the author when she says on page 63, "...as readers progress from easier to more difficult reading levels, they need to use these important reading skills in different ways and need support all year long in learning how to use them with more sophistication." One of the reasons for awhole class study is so that the class can focus on a few big goals for the month. I think this is a great plan so that there is sufficient opportunitites to practice each goal over time. Often times it would take that long in order for a child to run across all of the goals in a reading situation. --Jodee Tuttle

I think it is important to have whole-class studies. "Strong readers don't just use one skill at a time and readers benefit from repeated exposure and instruction." "It focuses on many skills at a time that spiral throughout the year." I would like to meet with the other first grade teachers to map out our year according to specific reading skills that "the genre, habit or behavior demands." This would help us to stay focused on our skills so we don't jump around to so many different reading goals. I think that even though the same set of skills would be revisited year after year they would be in different contexts. (Just like the writing workshop) Ronda

I agree that focus is an important piece of whole class studies. It allows me a longer chunk of time to adapt the main goals to individual students. It also allows for stability, time to practice and multiple chances to reinforce specific strategies that can "spiral" as readers grow and readers can learn "how to use them with more sophistication." Whole class studies also help students understand that the strategies and skills they are learning is transferable to other books, and useful not only as they become more proficient but also as they move up in grade level. I like being able to start the year on a study "of building strong reading habits and behaviors." What a great way to set procedures and expectations. I plan to use "The Daily 5" to help me build those behaviors. Mike

I like how Jodee put all of this into words. Having a few big goals for each month is key. As the book said, good readers do not use one reading skill at a time. It's a culmination of them. Students at different reading levels will use these skills to different degrees, so it's serves all students no matter what level they are reading at. I was recently talking to our special education teacher about sitting down and making a list of goals for each month. Since Reader's Workshop is new for me this year, I really need to map out what I am teaching. I also agree with what Mike said about how whole-class studies will help students transfer their strategies and skills they've learned to other curricular areas. This is key in third grade since we do a lot of reading in science and social studies. TGaribay

Whole class studies stops students from only exploring one genre. This chapter explore what the traditional basal is for the cover the big goals, purposes and genre in reading. It also this Ch 5 lays out the big things that need to be covered if one is a newer teacher and a basal or framework is not provided. Pg 64 gives a summary that aids in giving a framework. KDN

Dividing the year into month long studies makes so much sense, as the authors stated we can focus on a few goals for the month and differentiate instruction for our class within those goals. Because we don’t use reading skills in isolation, this method will allow students to continue to refine their use of skills throughout the year. As Rhonda stated, it also will help us stay focused on those goals/skills and not jump around so much. Sue Ronning

Chapter 6 from Bobbi Friend #2 In a research, decide, and teach conference it is important to know which research method works best for you. My teaching style is such that listening to a student read orally gives me the best insight for my research. It is easy for me to hear and see what a student is struggling with as I listen to them read. In my classroom of third graders this past year, that was very easy to do. Oral reading was common in my room, even when students were reading in independent reading time. It may be more challenging when I move into my sixth grade classroom next year due to the fact that I am going to have such large classes, and reading orally will not be as common. I am going to need to be a better observer about the students strengths and weaknesses. Currently I do not use the conversation method very often, but I think this is the one I will need to use the most with sixth graders. I will need to engage students in conversations about their post-its and talk to them about how they are doing with their reading. So, I think I use the listening to students read method the best, and I need to focus on listening to students conversations as a research method.
 * 1) 2. Within your whole-class study (unit) you have goals. As you confer with individual students, there are different tools you can utilize during the research phase: whole-class checklists, observations, conversation and listening to the student read. Which one of these tools do you think would be the easiest to use? Which one would be most difficult for you? Share your thoughts.
 * Respond Here:**

During the research phase, observations, conversation and listening are ways I have often collected information to develop lessons to help support our students. Third graders have opportunities to oral read through out the day, across the curriculum. I enjoy walking around and listening in during whole class study. I have often pulled them together to share how a strategy has worked or a minilesson in the making. The checklist portion will become an important tool for me. Mental notes can be fleeting, concrete evidence gives me reflective information.

Margaret Fox In the past I have had the most success with check lists. I usually create a check list in every content are for my students and then I date when I observe that a student has met a specific goal. I take anecdotal notes on students and keep them in a binder organized by student so that I have more detailed notes when warranted. The check list also makes it easy for me to see when I have a group of students who need to be placed in a strategy group, I try not to leave anything to memory--I know it will not be there when I need it if it is not recorded in some way. I think the conversation method for the research phase will be the most challenging for me for two reasons. First, I have not specifically taught the class to talk about books (which I will be from now on) and secondly, I think it will take a lot of practice before my 1st graders are really comfortable sharing their thinking with their peers. I feel this is more of an issue for me and I need to do a better job of teaching these sckills to my students and hopefully they will become very adept in their conversation skills. --Jodee Tuttle

The research step of the conferring process is critical. Thankfully Serravallo and Goldberg give us some different ways to manage researching the reader’s strengths and areas to improve. I personally use the listen to the student read and conversations with the student to help me determine what needs complimenting and what to teach. I was surprised last year to find that the first graders could have a rich and meaningful conversation about their reading as long as I asked questions about the reader’s process and not “right-there” questions about the story. I definitely need to improve on creating check-lists to help me focus on Whole-Class Study Strategies. Check-lists will help me stay organized and will help me track when students show that they are secure on certain goals. I like how Jodee uses checklists to help formulate strategy groups. I look forward to using checklists more. Garth

I think Garth nailed it with questioning the readers process and not using "right- there" questions. Too often, students try to figure out what you want to hear, and admend their resonses to be "correct". Questioning what processes they are using, "Why did you choose this book?" or "Can you explain how you are using Post-its right now?" gets a response that helps us decide how the reader thinks and what we can teach to help them think more deeply. I love check lists and really want to utilize them. I see checklists as a way to be consistent, but I'm worried I won't stay organized. Mike

I feel like a lot of this will be a challenge for me this year since it is new. I need to take one step at a time and remember that it took a few years for me to be truly comfortable with Writer's Workshop. This will be the same. I am a checklist person, so I see myself using these as a big tool. Mary Johnson gave some of us wonderful charts of skills that students need in order to move from one reading level to the next. I am definitely using these to help choose skills for my students to work on. Obviously, I will need to confer and listen to my students read. I will use what I observe to help figure out what skills are needed by my students. It's going to be a lot of work, and I am sure there will be a lot of frustration. I am thankful to have educators around who will be there for me to consult with as I need it. TGaribay

As I begin the research portion of my conferences with students, observing the students reading and talking with them help me gather the information I need to take them to the next level in their skill development. I use checklists to keep track of what I have observed with each student. My goal this year is to work with my colleagues and create consistent checklists of the skills and strategies we are using and assessing with our students. Keeping up-to-date with my records is always a challenge and one I will work on again this year. It is too easy to slip into the mind-set that I will record things later. . . and later never arrives. Sue Ronning

During the research phase, I find myself using all of the tools mentioned. I carry my clipboard or 3-ring binder around constantly with an overview of the goals for the unit. Having all of the unit goals in front of me can be helpful in getting me focused on what to zoom in on with that child. It’s also a great overview of who in the class is or isn’t there yet. Other times the overview feels time-consuming because I find myself scanning over the goals trying to hold onto all the pieces and decide which one to focus on with that child. I like observing and listening in to see what the child is doing, and if I need clarification then I have more of a conversation with him/her. Like Jodee, I plan to be better teach my students how to talk about their work during a reading conference. I like the open-ended questions listed on page 69 and like Mike plan to help students think and talk more deeply about their reading. Sara Sabourin --


 * 1) 3. After you have researched the reader, you decide what it is you want to compliment and what you want to teach. Jen and Gravity suggest several different ways to do this. Comment on which one would be the most useful to you and why.
 * Respond Here:**
 * I like the overview sheet. It's a tool that gives me a mindset of compliments I could use. Then "what to teach the reader". Inthe first month I will be actively researching my students. I will also be practicing the conferring stratigies. I want to support my students in their reading. This process needs consistency. Think of this as a grocery shopping trip. If I create a list, where will I shop, and the best time of day, I find that when I return home I have had a stress free, successful trip. If I don't plan I end up frustrated because I bought what I didn't need, forgot what I wanted and stood in a long line. The "overview" sheet is my shopping list.**
 * Margaret Fox ﻿**

I agree with Margaret in thinking the strategy overview sheet is a beneficial way to determine what to teach students

and acts like a shopping list. These sheets are a great way to see at a glance what strategies are associated with a skill in which the student is demonstrating knowledge. I think many of my conferences last year involved deepening students’ knowledge of a particular skill by using another strategy. I always like to take students one step farther with their thinking. While I fully see the value of taking the time to create overview sheets that are personal to each teacher, I would have appreciated more of these included with the text. Conferring is a challenge in itself the first few years of a program’s implementation. The support of more overview sheets would have been a huge help.

Stephanie Cooper

The overview sheet seems like a powerful and user-friendly tool. Having the goals of the whole -class unit right in front of me keeps the conference focused. It also helps me be accountable for differentiating the required curriculum. Sometimes in the fast-paced workshop, going from student to student, I find myself losing focus and having difficulty searching for teaching points and the language to use. Having the overview right in front of me gives me a specific compliment and a teaching point. It allows me to differentiate the instruction to meet the needs of the individual learner. Without it, I think my teaching targets are still individualized, but I might miss key instructional goals for all readers at that grade level. ~Stephanie B.

I agree with everyone else on how the overview sheet will be a great tool to use. It is a great reference tool to have out and ready. I agree with Stephanie on how fast paced it can get in a classroom. An overview sheet will help keep me focused and on track. I won't be confused on what I want to say and where I am going when conferring with a student. My teaching points will be right there for me to use. TGaribay


 * 1) 4. As we come to the "teach" part of our conference we choose from four main teaching methods: demonstration, example and explanation, shared reading and coaching. Most likely you will have a blend of several methods. The chart at the bottom of page 86 is very helpful. This would be a great one to copy and stick in your conferring notebook or on your clipboard. Consider your grade-level and comment on which method you tend to rely on the most.
 * Respond Here:**
 * I'm sure I have used all at one time or other. I think I rely on the demonstration with coaching. I use this during new stategies and to reteach a past strategy(when needed). This works well when supporting students fluency, phrasing, and intonation. Students needing support need modeling of what good readers do. I demonstrate, then they practice the strategy. This may be on several occasions in different ways until it is used without prompting.**
 * Margaret Fox﻿**
 * Margaret Fox﻿**

I relied heavily on example and explanation teaching last year with my second grade students. This worked well for me because many students can recall the mini lessons and read aloud work you have done together and just need that extra reminder to apply it to their own books. Sometimes they just need that closeness of your presence to feel confident enough to give the strategy a try. If the student seemed to struggle with remembering the lesson or independent application, I would offer coaching in the same conference. I don’t want to walk away from students and have them feel as if they gaining nothing from our work together. Stephanie CooperAs a classroom teacher of second-graders, I relied heavily on the student's level of understanding when determining which teaching method to use. I used the example and explanation method, just like Stephanie Cooper, to help them transfer the learning from a mini-lesson when they were within that zone of proximal development. I found that I used demonstration mostly in my whole-class lessons, and only used it during guided reading or conferring when the student wasn't approximating the skill that was taught whole-group.Now, as an interventionist, my (district suggested) focus is fluency and decoding. Therefore, I provide shared reading opportunities and alot of coaching. The shared reading allows for demonstration of fluency and lots of repeated readings. The repeated readings help the kids gain confidence, develop word banks, increase automaticity, improve their fluency, deepen comprehension, and foster enjoyment. The kids also seem to respond well to coaching. They seem grateful for the direct instruction and have a sense of relief that they now have some tools to use independently. Sometimes it's as if they feel like "I wish someone would just tell me what to do!" ~ Stephanie B.

In first grade there tends to be a lot of teaching and reteaching so I often rely on Demonstration when I teach during a conference. Demonstration helps me teach a new concept to a student or more often break down a process that has multiple steps. I also use Shared reading often as students begin to work on their fluency although this often makes my conference go a little longer than I would like. Towards the end of the year I utilize more the Example type of teaching and Coaching. Both of these types of teaching support a gradual release of learning so the student has more control and ownership. Garth

In my class of first graders I tend to use more demonstration with coaching especially towards the beginning of the year. I show readers how to use a "strategy in a realistic reading setting while thinking aloud about the process and steps." I need to set up the reader and let them know what they will learn and then think aloud showing them the strategy step by step and then restate the way it can be used on all books. This method supports all students no matter what level of reading they are on when they come to my room. Ronda

I tend to favor demonstrations as my teaching method. I like to read aloud and model my thinking already. I think demonstration gives me a chance to perform for my students and engage them in our lessons. I think a strong demonstration produces a strong foundation for further teaching. Many of my 5th grade students know my personality so I think they will expect that "in the moment" modeling. This should lead to making the other methods easier to implement as needed.. I will need to remind myself that,"it is the teacher's job to clearly articulate what the student should have noticed during the demnstration."p.77 I feel my demonstrations lacked that key piece in the past. Mike

I probably use two of the teaching methods move that the other two. I use Example and explananition with coaching and Coaching. Example and explanation stands out because if students can do it once they can do it again and again. I just remind them and encourage them of their past success. Now if a student is really struggling I use coach to try to show examples and build confidence. KDN

I use two methods the most: demonstration and shared reading. Like Mike, I love reading out loud to my class, thinking aloud as I go, modeling what good readers do. I also question as I go, making them think about the story and share their responses with one another, then share them with the entire class. I also work very hard on fluency. After reading the section from the book, I found out I need to work more on intonation with students. I tend to forget about it because I get so happy they are reading the words. Our district also used Dibels to test fluency, which is just reading rate and retelling for third grade. I am happy we are being trained next week in the new Dibles which will add comprehension. I am anxious to see how it works. TGaribay

Like Garth and Ronda, I find myself relating to the demonstration method of teaching most because there is so much “teaching and re-teaching” in first grade. During reading and writing workshop I will often say, “Watch how I …” and then show the students how I use the strategy “in the moment” (page 77). After that I have the students observe and name what they saw. Lastly, I reiterate what they should have noticed. Since I’m working with first graders who are learning so many new strategies I feel that the demonstration method is often the way I teach. Sara Sabourin