Marsha Ross-March/April Blog Chapter 9- Emphasize Shared Reading

I really enjoyed reading this chapter.  Routman emphasizes the importance of building a community in the classroom where there is no fear.  A place where there is nothing but comfort and safety to enjoy a book.  A place where there is no round robin reading.  A place where children are encouraged and guided.
  .For many years now, I have included Shared Reading in my classroom.  It is a great time in my room and I greatly enjoy it.  It is a time where I pull all my kids to the carpet and we share a text.  We read together and learn together through thoughtful conversation and a sharing of skills.  When I first started, I used big books and the reading book.  Both ways work!  All that matters is that everyone is able to share the same text together.
   When doing Shared Reading, I start out similar to a guided reading lesson.  I start with important vocabulary that the children need to know.  We picture walk the story and find the important words on the different pages through the story.  When finished, we go back to the beginning of the story.  Sometimes I read to my children.  Sometimes they echo me. Other times, I read a page and they read the next.  Each day, we do something different with the story.  We read it together several days throughout the week.  As we read each day we discuss different spelling patterns that we see. We discuss what good readers do like finger track or blend unknown words by using little chunks that we know.  I try to tie as many skills into the story as I can.  We discuss everything that we can.
   This chapter was a great reminder to me of what I really enjoy in my classroom.  It helped me to see that I am doing great things!  It also showed me some ways that I can improve.  As I was reading I saw where Routman kept referring to the shared transparency that you could use to make sure everyone could see a book that they didn't have a hard copy of.  That same day I was introduced to Epic.  I now saw how I could incorporate technology into my classroom. instead of the transparency.  It made me realize I could use Epic and we could share real literature together without having to take pictures or scan a copy into the computer.  It also helped my see how I could incorporate more turn and talks into my lessons.  It was a great read.

Kristin Humphries: Blog Post 7-Emphasize Shared Reading

       As I read about the importance of shared reading, I gained useful information that will be helpful to my students. Routman explains that shared reading helps learners to find reading time more enjoyable. It can be used with any type of text, from non-fiction to poetry. She also clarifies that during shared reading time students encourage each other, it provides time for practice, raises expectations, and builds confidence. A teacher can introduce different genres through shared reading time. This time can be more meaningful than a whole-group lesson or teaching through small groups.

        I look forward to spending more time allowing my students to share read. I have used shared reading in my classroom. I have found it helpful and encouraging. I have tried to use an assortment of strategies to see what has worked best with my students. Shared reading time has been a success for me. I would encourage others to try shared reading time in their classrooms.

Allison Sumerel's March/April Blog Post-Routman Chapter 8: Teach Comprehension

We tend to focus on teaching words at an early age but not how to deeply understand what they are reading.  Routman says, "You can't start teaching comprehension in grade 3.  You start teaching it the day kids enter preschool or kindergarten."(118)  The problem comes in knowing how to effectively teach comprehension.  Studies suggest using high interest novel.  As you read, don't just focus on skills, but what they are actually reading.  I have tried this in my class with more interesting texts.  As they read, we discuss what is being read, and how it relates to what we know.  I encourage my students to make connections.  This helps me to know that they are grasping it.  Balance is also a key aspect.   They suggest a 20 percent-to-80 percent rule.  Giving them time to apply their strategies is key.  The example with spelling made a lot of sense to me.  We give students spelling tests and they can spell all of the words, but when they actually write those words in sentences or summaries, do they remember how to spell them?  The application is important.

Rereading material is also very important.  I have noticed when my students don't understand, simply having them go back and read it me helps.  I have also started to see that my students are improving in comprehension from our close reading strategies.  Having them highlight, underline, and write comments to the side has also helped.  Routman also suggests that strategy for helping with comprehension.  It was very helpful for me to read this chapter to remind myself that "teaching strategies is not enough."

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.

Sally Gaskins' February Blog Post-Routman Ch. 10-Examine Guided Reading

This was an excellent chapter, maybe the most beneficial in the entire book, in my opinion. Routman goes into great detail about how to teach all aspects of guided reading-information I have been needing to more effectively teach guided reading to my second grade students. Guided reading is essential to moving our students forward as readers, especially the ones who are struggling. It's not an easy thing to do, and I know this from my experience teaching first grade. Routman devotes a lot of the chapter to classroom management, how to do it effectively in order to make the most of the little bit of guided reading time you have in each group. Modeling, coaching, encouragement, and feedback are her recipe for success at teaching the rest of the class how to work independently while she is doing the important work of guided reading with a small group of students.
Another very helpful part of this chapter is the "important purposes for guided reading." Routman explains that it must be a worthwhile purpose and it's not just about "getting to a higher-level book." She provides a checklist of what she wants her students to accomplish during the guided reading time. Her "teaching tips" and "teacher talk" for a guided reading lesson were excellent, as well as the framework for thinking about a guided reading lesson on p. 170. I plan to have those checklists near me during my guided reading lessons from now on. I have used other books/guides in the past to help me with guided reading, but none of them seemed as detailed and comprehensive as this one, and I can't wait to put it to the test in the classroom.

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. 

Kristin Humphries: Blog Post 6-Teach Comprehension

          As I read in an earlier chapter, “You only have so much time.” We as teachers need to use our time to optimize student learning. For students to grow in comprehension, they must have ample time to practice. Rereading is a very important strategy for students to use to become stronger in comprehension. Routman mentions that this strategy is rarely taught as a primary strategy. When students make connections, they are making connections to the text, to themselves, or to the world. Routman also explains that fluency is significant in the reading process but is not reading without comprehension. Reading familiar texts can help students become stronger readers and can help them to make gains in comprehension. I agree with Routman, having time to practice these strategies will help much more than a lengthy lesson or too many strategies. They just need the time to read and explore with books.