Rhiannon Wyatt- January/February Blog- “Routman Ch. 10 “Examine Guided Reading”

Rhiannon Wyatt- January/February Blog- “Routman Ch. 10            “Examine Guided Reading”

I really enjoyed reading this chapter on guided reading by Routman.  In fact I feel that this chapter was the most beneficial yet. I have started guided reading groups in my first grade classroom and feel that this chapter gave me validation on the lessons that I teach as well as presented me with an abundance of new ideas.  “In guided reading, the teacher builds on students’ strengths and supports and demonstrates whatever is necessary to move the child toward independence.” While reading this chapter, two important points, classroom management and teaching lessons that focus on meaning, stood out to me as critical to the success of guided reading groups.  Effective classroom management is particularly important for guided reading groups because the teacher wants the maximum amount of her time to be working with her small group.  Routman did a good job of emphasizing how important it is to model to students how they should interact with their peers while they are working independently. Whispering, staying on task and problem solving independently if a problem arises are all very important procedures for students to be able to accomplish during guided reading groups.  Routman’s explanation of the purpose of guided reading also grabbed my attention.  In my first grade guided reading groups, I feel that I teach reading by focusing on the words.  Often, I say ‘stretch out the word’ or ‘look for a chunk that you already know’.  While I feel that those reading strategies are important for my students, I did appreciate the section on what it sounds like to focus on meaning.  Some of her suggestions include “What do we learn about the main character” or “Let’s look through the table of contents”.  These questions help the students focus in on what they are reading and help the teacher assess their level of comprehension.  I have enjoyed implementing guided reading groups in my class.  I appreciate the bonds that I am able to create with my students in the small group setting as well as aid them in their success and confidence as readers.