Kaylee Foster- March Blog- Routman (2003): Chapter 6 & 7 Plan for and Monitor Independent Reading/ Make Assessment Instruction’s Working Partner

I love the way Routman stated that “Just adding more time and space for independent reading is not enough…I’m advocating a carefully designed, structured reading program that includes demonstrating, teaching, guiding, monitoring, evaluating, and goal setting with voluntary reading of books students choose.” I don’t think this could have been stated any clearer or in a better way. IR is not just a time for students to go and read what they choose. It is so much more than that! We as educators need to be conferencing/goal setting daily with our students. Teachable moments will arise and teachers should take advantage of every single one of them. I personally do our IR time for the first forty minutes of class. I know that mornings are crazy and the responsibilities of the teacher doesn’t go away just because of IR time. However, I have had to learn that it will be okay if my lunch count is a little bit late- I cannot tell you how many times they have had to call and remind me to send the lunch count because I was in the middle of conferencing and lost track of time…but guess what, the cafeteria ladies have a very forgiving heart because they haven’t stopped loving me.

Making all of the things that come along with IR time a priority is key. One of my students the other day was reading the book There Was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow and she became so excited when I came and sat beside her because she knew she was going to have “her personal” time with the teacher. She started off the conversation by saying “Ms. Foster are you ready to be cold because this is the feeling you will get when I read this to you”? By the end of the conference I had not only gained knowledge on how much this specific reader had grown since the previous conference but I saw that she had gained so much confidence in her reading. The feeling I got was indescribable.  Independent Reading time is great BUT without the conferencing that goes along with it teachers will miss out on these unforgettable moments.

In Chapter: Make Assessment Instruction’s Working Partner Routman talks about the importance of giving an assessment to benefit the student or don’t give one at all.  Unfortunately, there are things that are out of our circle of control like standardized tests but we can make the most of the assessments that we give our students. Routman suggests that we ask ourselves the following questions when evlauting the assessments that we are giving.

1.    Is this a valid and useful assessment?

a.   For this students at this time?

b.   For our curriculum and standards?

c.    To inform my teaching?

d.   To share with the student?

2.    How am I using this assessment:

a.   To note and celebrate the student’s strengths?

b.   To build on those strengths?

c.    To note weaknesses?

d.   To inform and determine my instruction?

e.    To help the student become more competent?

f.     To teach what the student needs to know next?

3.    What goals am I setting?

a.   For myself as a teacher?

b.   For the student?

c.    With the student?

4.    Who else do I need to inform?

a.   The principal?

b.   Parents?

c.    Support Personnel?

Routman makes a great point, that we should make assessments and evaluations a part of our daily routine whether it is an informal or formal assessment. Most of us are already doing this and may not even realize it. A great informal assessment would be the reading conferences that are conducted each day. The formal assessments should be things that are worth the time that it takes to administer it. There is only so much time in a day and if we are giving pointless assessments to just “get” grades, yet it doesn’t provide us with information on what step to take next then we are not benefiting our students the way we should be. When creating assessments we should consider the questions that Routman suggested.