So today was the day... we started reading groups. Although the schedule is not exactly what I want, it is better than nothing. Eventually I want the students to be working on independent centers, but until we get to that point they are working on a "Daily 5." The "Daily 5" is a list of 5 things that the students must complete during the reading group times. Today I was able to call each group for about 15 minutes, which is the longest I've been able to work with small groups since school started. It is my goal to do this twice a week and then on Fridays the students will have a book discussion circle with their reading group. This will allow them a chance to talk freely about the book and also refer to the things they have been writing in their journal.
We are currently using reading a-z books since my school does not have leveled reading books. It is my goal to work toward getting some leveled reading books that will be more engaging next year, but this is better than nothing! My groups are working on different reading comprehension strategies such as: making predictions, visualizing, asking questions, making connections, and summarizing. The students are familiar with these names, but do not stop during their reading to think about them. Our new motto with reading is: "A lot of easy reading, makes reading easier!" I am encouraging the students to think about their thinking (metacognition).
Tomorrow we will not be doing reading groups, but we will meet again on Thursday.
Wish me luck!
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