Spreading the Word About Reader's Workshop

This week I had the great fortune (I can say that now that it's done) to host a "fishbowl" observation for two days in my reading and writing classroom. Several teachers from another school in the county were interested in seeing how I implement Reader's Workshop in a county that has been using the same anthology for over a decade (that's a whole other blog post). Although I was hesitant (who likes being watched all day for two days straight?), I obliged for the good of the children. I figured, the more educators who embrace this individualized style of teaching, the better! 

It all started when a handful of teachers from my school, along with myself, went to their school to see Debbie Miller teach a model reading lesson (side note: I was in teacher heaven). During our debriefing session with Debbie, we discussed why she did what she did and where she would go next. Many of the teachers seemed to have a hard time understanding how they could apply this very foreign teaching style and still meet the requirements set forth by our district. When one of my colleagues chimed in that I was already implementing reading workshop, the questions began to be directed at me. "So, your kids are all reading different books?" and "How do you know they understand what they are reading?" were just a couple of inquiries. And thus, the idea to come to our school and see it all in the flesh was born.

I am by no means an expert. I am continually refining my strategies in reading workshop to align with my personal teaching beliefs. My students are used to this, and they know that at any given moment, Mrs. P. could (and probably will) change her mind if something "just isn't working." I am so thankful to have the flexibility to do this, and that privilege comes from having a supportive administration that allows me to do what I know is best for my students. And this is exactly what I told my visitors. Reading workshop is a work in progress, but I was happy to model and answer questions because I wish I had had someone in either my building or my district to go to when I began Reader's Workshop this year.

I began by pointing my visitors in the direction of great resources to begin gathering ideas and information (I don't know if I could have done it without the inspiration of Donalyn Miller, Debbie Miller, Fountas and Pinnell, "The Two Sisters," and Franki Sibberson). I told them about Twitter and blogging. We chatted about the power of quality graphic novels (I got some sideways looks on that one at first) and staying current with the latest and greatest in children's literature. I showed them how I record my observations and assess my students daily. We talked about what gets graded, what doesn't, and why. I explained how we practice skills repeatedly before I assess whether or not they have been "mastered," and even when they have they are revisited constantly. I showed them my binder that I would be lost without, my students' notebooks, and that you really can teach a lot in 15 minutes. The listened in on our read aloud, one-on-one conferences, guided reading groups, and reteach lessons. And when they reluctantly walked up to me to ask a question (or 12), I smiled and told them I was there to help and give as much support as I could in my own rookie way.

When all was said and done, my principal and fellow coworkers told me what they had heard through the grapevine: those visiting teachers were excited about potentially starting reading workshop at their own school. As soon as I heard that, all the stress, all the anxiety of being center stage, all the questioning about why I had to put myself through it was worth it. If even one teacher in another school begins teaching Reader's Workshop, I will feel like I had a real impact. I sincerely hope that the power students making choices about what they read and how they learn spreads (and FAST) through our district. The kids need it.

Twitter...Who Knew?

Just a quick post to encourage all of my fellow bloggers to consider also using Twitter as a resource for collaboration and seeking out new ideas. I just had the greatest experience chatting with some of my fellow bloggers and Donalyn Miller herself about Read Alouds. I learned about a bunch of great titles to try with my kiddos, along with some information about how to use them effectively in the classroom. Hopefully this will be the beginning of the END of my frustration! Thanks to all who participated! Can't wait for the next #titletalk! 

Reading & Writing Workshops, Oh My!

Okay, so I am going to be honest about something. I.Feel.Frustrated. 

When I first began writing this blog, I posted about how inspired I felt by Donalyn Miller's The Book Whisperer. I am still inspired by it, but inspiration in this case has let to frustration. As a relatively new teacher, I think I am tempted to cling to that which I am familiar with. Unfortuantely, what I am familiar with is teaching reading via an anthology (yuck!). I am so bored with the anthology, and I think know if I am bored then my kids are, too. 

Here is the problem: There are so many resources on teaching reading and writing workshop, but I still feel like there isn't a clear cut "Hey! Start Here!" to be found for those of us who want to venture into this unfamiliar territory. My head is constantly swimming with ideas of what I should be doing, but the how is still missing. I am not asking for premade, scripted lessons. Quite the contrary. I would just like a little more diretion than I have found. I don't think that reading and writing workshop only work in "ideal situations." I want to make it work in my classroom because I feel that it is best for my students. I've also read The Daily 5 and felt so overwhelmed that I had to table it for a while. Is there a way to use the anthology (my comfort zone) to transition slowly into this type of teaching?

There are so many great teachers out there...and I am reaching out to those of you have made this transition. How did you start? I know how the scheduling should look, it's the small details that I am unsure of. HOw do you decide what to teach for your whole group lesson? Is a mini lesson enough time for children to learn and understand a concept well enough to apply it independently?

I am hoping some of you will comment and help me out. Thank you so much in advance for your wisdom!

Inspiration...

As I was headed out the door on the last day of school (ah, that seems so long ago), my principal stopped me and asked how I was feeling about the prospect of only teaching reading and writing during the next school year. I was honest and told her that I was excited...

and extremely terrified.

{*Side note* I am not sure about other intermediate teachers out there, but teaching reading and writing in the upper grades has always been intimidating to me. By the time the students get to me, they more or less know the basics. But, it is up to ME to help them perfect what they know and develop their skills in such a way that they will now become “lifelong readers and writers.” No pressure!!!}

My principal laughed and assured me it would be a great year, and then she recommended a book that I should consider reading over the summer: The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller. She had purchased it for the entire staff in hopes that we would read and gobble up every word. She had also purchased several other books which I hadn't yet gotten to. I decided, however, I would make this my summer project and opened it up that very night.

I was finished reading it by the following evening. It. Was. Amazing. No “professional reading” has ever inspired me so much. In the book (if you have already read it you can skip over this part), Miller describes a reading classroom where children spend most of their time *gasp*actually reading. She has filled her classroom with piles and piles of books, ranging in grade levels, so that all of her students may find something that both interests them and is accessible to them. Her students apply the skills she has taught to the books that they are independently reading, rather than forcing the entire group to trudge along through the same text together, regardless of their interest in it or ability to read it. I was awestruck. I couldn't believe that my principal was basically giving me the freedom to give my students...well...more freedom. In other schools I had taught in, you stuck to the basal or anthology and the county curriculum. Period.

So, I spent the rest of my summer seeking out and purchasing as many children's books as I could. Goodwill was a GOLDMINE, as long as I was willing to spend some time sorting through the books carefully to find ones worth buying and in good condition. Used bookstores were also a great place to find good deals. I doubled the size of my classroom library for under $100 easily.

I also read. A lot. I read books about reading, and I read as many children's books as I could (including, for the first time since they were published, the Harry Potter series...I know...how could I wait so long?!?!). You do get some funny looks when you are reading a children's book in public, but it's worth it to be able to recommend books to your students and know what is in your library. Not to mention the sheer pleasure and fun you get from reading a children's novel...it's fast, it's easy, and there is so much to be learned from them that you may have missed the first time around.

As the school year is getting ready to start, my head is absolutely swimming with ideas. I have reorganized my library, labeled my bins, and am working on lessons to get my students started. I want reawaken a love of reading in my students, just as mine was over the summer. The details of how I will do this aren't 100% figured out yet, but I'll get there...