This article first appeared in California Reader, Volume 57, Number 3, Fall 2024. “Hurry up! She’s got new books!” the circle of children shouted as I sat in their midst on a Monday morning in early spring. Those finishing their morning routine scurried to join their classmates and they all eagerly leaned forward, anticipating the gifts in the bag at my [...]
Introduction Teachers are in the business of learning. We set up our classrooms, assess our students, and create our lessons. We select books, form reading groups, and teach students in those groups regularly. We create complex daily schedules packed with readers’ (and writers’) workshops, guided reading blocks, and independent reading time. We think aloud, make sure to cover all the comprehension strategies, and use sentence [...]
What Difference Would a “Warm” Running Record Make in Your Guided Reading Groups?Managing guided reading groups often generates a multitude of questions about flexibility: How do I know which children go in which group? Which books do I use in a particular level? How do I know when my students are ready for the next level? One tool often used in answering these questions is a record [...]