Next Steps in Guided Reading - Chapter 1

Today is Day #1 for our book study on The Next Step In Guided Reading...!

There are a few of us who are teaming up with Teaching with Grace to bring you some food for thought and some GOODIES in your journey with guided reading!

Did you get a chance to read chapter one?  I read it yesterday and it was a quick read!  It made me realize that I seriously don't take enough time to get my kids used to centers.  Guilty, right here!  I usually try to introduce everything and make them jump right in within two weeks so that I can get my guided reading groups going.  It's seriously going to take much more time to get my kids established so that I don't have to worry about them in the long run.  

Last time I posted I came up with 5 questions for each chapter.  Here are my thoughts and I invite you to answer the same questions by posting either in the comments or on your own blog. 

I came up with 5 basic questions for each week's reading:

1.  What part of the reading caught your attention?  Maybe it's something you never thought about.  Maybe it's something that you've been trying to get a grip on.  Maybe it's something that you've never heard quite they way it was put.

What caught my attention in this chapter was the different ways to group students.  I am also guilty of keeping my kids in their groups based on their guided reading level.  It was just always easier to keep them in the same groups so they could rotate through everything.  I think this year I'm going to give each student their own individual schedule to follow for the week.  It might take a LOT of time up front to create them, but I think it will be worth it!  I'll share a view of what I do in the fall once I create it.  I'm actually kind of excited about them!

2.  How do you already incorporate this into your guided reading routine?  There's probably at least some part of the chapter that you're already doing!  Tell us about it!

I have been using The Daily 5 as my centers during guided reading.  It has worked well for the past 3 years!  It has definitely made for easy planning where centers are concerned!

3.  What is something new you want to try next school year?  How do you want to make your guided reading time better or what new things do you want to try?

Next year I'm going to add computers (I'm going to purchase a subscription to RAZ Kids) and a fluency center.  I'm also going to spend the suggested 5-6 weeks to introduce centers to make sure that they are completely independent before starting my reading groups.

4.  What are some resources that you ALREADY HAVE that you can use to teach what you read about in this chapter/section?

I already have my Word Work centers created, printed, and in baggies ready to go for the year!  If you need Word Work suggestions, check out my TPT shop for what I use.  It's 10 centers that stay the same for the entire year...the phonics skills are the only things that change!  It is WONDERFUL because I don't have to waste time explaining them every week!  I have a free Short A set if you'd like to try it!

5.  What are some NEW resources that you want to get or try to use to teach what you read about in this chapter/section?

I need to find some easy centers for the students to use as I'm teaching the literacy centers throughout the first 6 weeks.  Anyone have any suggestions?  I'm going to set out a tub of blocks, a box of books, and some clay.  I wonder if there's anything else out there that might have a little more substance to it that they could handle?  Hmmm.  

So what about you?  What are your thoughts after reading Chapter 1?  I'm excited to keep digging into this book with you!