Laura Brown: February Blog Post Chapter 10 Examine Guided Reading

        As a teacher, I want to  provide my students with learning opportunities that will be the most effective and provide them with the best skills. I have known that guided reading groups is one of those teaching/learning strategies that will accomplish that goal. I have been using guided reading groups a few times a week in my classroom however, after reading Routman's chapter on guided reading, I have  learned many new things that I want to try as well as strategies I am already doing which lets me know I'm on the right track. 
        Routman states that guided reading is defined as "meeting with a small group of students and guiding and supporting them through manageable text." The chapter also states that students are group based on similar reading levels and supported using effective reading strategies. These characteristics of guided reading are the center of how I conduct guided reading in my classroom. However, I did learn that there are many other qualifications to consider when choosing books for guided reading other than just the reading level. To my my choices of books the best they can be I need to consider things such as size, placement, and appearance of print, familiarity of vocabulary and concepts, and the number of unique words compared with familiar words. 
        Another guided reading strategy that I learned more about through this chapter is really thinking about whether or not my literacy centers are worth the time they are taking. I need to make sure the students that aren't meeting with me are doing things that "have a meaningful purpose and contributing to reading achievement and enjoyment."  I also need to make sure that what I plan is challenging but easy to plan for me and easy to understand for the students. This concept is something I need to look at in my own guided reading groups.