Guided Reading
First Graders! I love their big smiles and their excitement. I find myself stopping at the first grade door to simply gaze and absorb. First grade is the year of a huge leap. Kids come into first grade recognizing a certain number of sight words, and they leave first grade as actual readers. Phenomenal growth really.
But let’s face it, these 6’ers have boundless energy and can be impulsive and impatient and on and on. First grade teachers need to recognize their six year olds’ strengths and weaknesses and work with both. Kelley and Kim have so many best practices in place when it comes to teaching this all important grade.
I have attached two video clips of Kim and Kelley. This first video is setting expectations and giving instruction to their class on what is expected of them during independent reading work time. Kelley has finished her reading lessons and is reminding the “carpet” group what is expected of them when they return to their desks. She uses the “sh” signal and speaks in a low volume voice that requires the kids to listen. The teachers have worked with the kids with using the term – zero voice – to remind them of what is expected of them during their independent work time; one little girl questions “Why? Do we need our zero voice?” - so typical of a six year old – the why – and Kelley explains it again and the little girl gets it. Four students head back to Kim’s table where she provides even more needed specific guidance on what each of the four will be working on; giving these four students a little more individual instruction at the beginning of the independent time allows for their success and probably means less distraction and interruption during the entire independent time.
Great job on procedures. Kim and Kelley model, model, and model some more. And, they practice, practice, and practice some more – less than in September – but I’ve seen them do it when needed.
The second video is Kim and Kelley using Jan Richardson’s approach to teaching sight words. Kim uses the magnetic letters to create word families and the kids are table writing the letters – and then actually writing the words on their individual white boards. It’s easy to see that the visual display of the targeted word, the “air” writing, and actual writing of the words are effective ways to teach kids sight words. Kelley uses another Richardson approach of previewing several words in the book that the kids will read. Richardson reminds us that these targeted words give students a foothold in the sea of print that is in the book and serves as an anchor among many words that don’t know yet.
Thanks for allowing us into your classroom, Kim and Kelley. You not only help us see how the complex job of teaching first graders is done and done well , but we also can see how well the two of you work together.
Marty
But let’s face it, these 6’ers have boundless energy and can be impulsive and impatient and on and on. First grade teachers need to recognize their six year olds’ strengths and weaknesses and work with both. Kelley and Kim have so many best practices in place when it comes to teaching this all important grade.
I have attached two video clips of Kim and Kelley. This first video is setting expectations and giving instruction to their class on what is expected of them during independent reading work time. Kelley has finished her reading lessons and is reminding the “carpet” group what is expected of them when they return to their desks. She uses the “sh” signal and speaks in a low volume voice that requires the kids to listen. The teachers have worked with the kids with using the term – zero voice – to remind them of what is expected of them during their independent work time; one little girl questions “Why? Do we need our zero voice?” - so typical of a six year old – the why – and Kelley explains it again and the little girl gets it. Four students head back to Kim’s table where she provides even more needed specific guidance on what each of the four will be working on; giving these four students a little more individual instruction at the beginning of the independent time allows for their success and probably means less distraction and interruption during the entire independent time.
Great job on procedures. Kim and Kelley model, model, and model some more. And, they practice, practice, and practice some more – less than in September – but I’ve seen them do it when needed.
The second video is Kim and Kelley using Jan Richardson’s approach to teaching sight words. Kim uses the magnetic letters to create word families and the kids are table writing the letters – and then actually writing the words on their individual white boards. It’s easy to see that the visual display of the targeted word, the “air” writing, and actual writing of the words are effective ways to teach kids sight words. Kelley uses another Richardson approach of previewing several words in the book that the kids will read. Richardson reminds us that these targeted words give students a foothold in the sea of print that is in the book and serves as an anchor among many words that don’t know yet.
Thanks for allowing us into your classroom, Kim and Kelley. You not only help us see how the complex job of teaching first graders is done and done well , but we also can see how well the two of you work together.
Marty
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