Update as of 1/19/13:
We made another blog post about Rockin' Reading Workshop- Gingerbread Style!
Make sure you check it out:
We had so much positive feedback about the guided reading posts and files that we have on TpT. THANK YOU!!! One question we keep seeing in our emails and in our comments is....what are your students doing when you are teaching guided reading groups?? Here is the short, no frills, kind of boring answer... READING!!!!
I know what you're thinking...first graders and second graders JUST reading that entire time???? Third graders, I can see that but first and second grade!?!?! YES!!! How is it possible??
READING WORKSHOP!!!
Let me rewind and explain how I got to this point....
My first few years of teaching first and second grade, I used literacy centers. All of my focus was on learning how to implement guided reading groups effectively and I did not have enough time and energy to learn about the best, most effective practices that the OTHER students should be engaged in.
I spent LOTS of money at Lakeshore Learning and other teaching stores buying commercialized products for my students to be "engaged in." I spent lots of time writing grants to fund the literacy centers. I spent lots of time cutting, gluing, stapling,and getting ideas online for how to make cute centers. I had parent helpers, family members, my boyfriend (a fourth grade teacher)...EVERYONE help me make centers. I made several different center charts and center rotations and experimented with which one worked best. I spent a lot of time teaching the directions and behaviors that I expected when the students were at literacy centers. My students seemed to like these activities. They liked interacting with their peers and liked having choices about what they were working on that week.
However, after a few years, I began to question all the time, money, and energy I was spending on centers and wondered if there was a better/easier/more effective way. I was getting the hang of this guided reading thing, even getting pretty good at it, and was ready to tackle the "what the other students are doing" issue. Were they really engaged in reading?? I was beginning to have these thoughts that I did not like pop into my head...how could I just "get rid" of everything that I spent so much time on!?! What other options were there?? After looking online on what other teachers did with their students during reading, I found that there was something called "reading workshop." I didn't really understand it at first and was pretty skeptical. Unfortunately, my district did not provide any professional development about a reading workshop approach. In fact, my district expected that our students be "engaged in literacy centers" and did not seem to support my **new** thinking about a workshop approach. So, I started to spend my money on awesome teacher resource books and I started to spend my time reading those books! 
These books teach about using a reading workshop approach to teach reading.
I had many light bulb moments when reading these books! I LOVED the focus for the teacher: less is more, work smarter, not harder, and keep it simple. I LOVED the message for the students even more!!!!
BIG ideas:
After spending my summer researching and learning all I could about reading workshop, I was ready to start it with my students that fall. After all, I was already using writing workshop, so how different could it be...right!?
I began reading workshop with my second graders and used reading contracts with them. When I met with my students for guided reading groups, the other students were JUST reading...and writing. Writing about their reading that is!! The reader's contracts were a packet of graphic organizers that we already reviewed during shared reading. The contracts gave my students the opportunity to read a just-right book of their choice and write about their thinking- all independently. And guess what!?! It "worked!" My second graders did great! They loved it! I loved it!
Now that I teach third grade, I only use the reader's contracts with a few of my students. These special needs students benefit from the extra guidance the contracts provide. My other students however, "JUST READ!" It is awesome!!! I meet with groups at the guided reading table, look up at the rest of the students and sometimes I am still amazed. They are all in their own just-right reading spot, with their just-right reading book, with their book bin (or book shelf as Kathy Collins suggests!), and are reading! Some readers are flipping through their reader's notebook and making notes about the day's mini-lesson. A few readers are frantically writing their connections, visualizations, or thick questions on sticky notes. Other students are just reading. :)
So how does reading workshop look in my classroom??? First, here is my daily schedule from last year:
Making Every minute count!
(Don’t you love how the experts tell you how you are supposed to organize your day so that you fit everything in!? Here is a REAL teacher’s schedule-mine!!!)
9:05-9:15 Attendance, lunch count, homework/assignment notebooks check-in
While I am doing this, the students may read ANY book at ANY level (I learned this from Sharon Taberski's book, On Solid Ground)
9:15-Reading Workshop begins with a mini-lesson
9:25-Independent Reading Time
Students are practicing the mini-lesson during private and partner reading. During this time, I meet with three guided reading groups. (2-3 groups for 15-20 minutes and individual reading conferences). The students may also be meeting in literature groups or reading with partners.
10:30-Word study/grammar/spelling
10:45-Writing Workshop (Mini-lesson, writing process, writing conferences)
12:05 Lunch/Recess
12:40 Word study/ grammar/spelling
12:50-1:20 Planning Period
1:20 Bathroom Break
1:30 Guided Math
2:30 Science/Social Studies/Health
2:55 Get ready to go
3:05 First Bell
3:15 Last Bell
** Always looks great on paper, right??**
Here is a break down of Reading Workshop in my classroom.
Mini-lesson (about 10 minutes)
All reading workshop sessions begin with the teacher teaching a reading mini-lesson that lasts about 10 minutes. During each mini-lesson, the teacher explicitly models or demonstrates a specific reading skill or strategy, which is called the teaching point. Students practice the skill or strategy on their own or with a partner, which is called active engagement.
Below are some pictures of our mini-lessons:
Good readers have just-right books during independent reading.
Good readers VISUALIZE when they are reading...we had many mini-lessons on this reading comprehension strategy!
A just-right book fits you like a glove!
Tell your students to bring in their favorite pair of gloves/mittens that FIT THEM JUST RIGHT!!!! When all students have their gloves, you are ready to teach this lesson!
Begin by sharing your gloves with the class and telling them why you love your gloves so much: they keep my hands warm when I am walking my dog, they are my favorite color, they are not too bulky, etc. Ask the students to share why their gloves are just right for them-accept all responses. Next, explain to them idiom “fits like a glove” and its meaning. Hold up some books that you are currently reading and demonstrate how those books “fit you like a glove.” Then, the students will select a book they are reading and explain why it “fits them like a glove.” For example, they are interested in the topic, they can read almost all the words and they understand what is going on in the story. After each child has a chance to share their thoughts with a partner they are ready to wear their just right gloves and read a just right book during private reading time!
Warning: Your students will not want to take their gloves off after teaching this lesson!! In fact, even though I taught this lesson in October, my students insisted on keeping their just-right reading gloves all year long in their desk!! I was happy to oblige even though we got a few weird looks from other teachers/students who walked into our classroom when we were reading and wearing our just right gloves! :)
No, they are not sleeping, snoozing, snoring…none of the above!
They are independently practicing the mini-lesson that was taught: how to pick a just-right reading spot in our classroom!
I keep track of my mini-lessons I teach in a couple of places. One of the places is the bulletin board that all students can see:
After the mini-lesson, students are ready to "just" read! :)
But, it is so much more powerful than that!
At this time, readers are engaged in reading just-right books that they choose at their independent readying level. Readers practice the skill/strategy that the teacher taught during the mini-lesson. The teacher provides instruction during reading conferences and guided reading groups. Readers also write about what they are reading in their reader’s notebooks, talk about books with other readers, buddy read to practice fluency, meet in literature groups and book buddy meetings, and read independently.
When I first started Reader’s Workshop, I used reader’s contracts during the independent reading time. I was not ready to let my first graders “just read” for the duration of the time, so I created reader’s contracts. As the students were reading, they also filled out one of the graphic organizers in the contracts. Some students finished one a day and some students finished one in a couple of days. Now that I teach third grade, I only use reader’s contracts with only a few of my students. These students benefit greatly from the reader’s contracts because it helps them stay more focused and less likely to bother other students. I have also found that my I.E.P students do well with reader’s contracts because it gives them another option, besides silent reading, to independently complete literacy activities.
Book buddies and reading partnerships are another component of this part of reading workshop.
When selecting buddies, Kathy Collins suggests several benefits for using teacher assigned, ability – based partnerships, meaning two strong readers are placed together and two weaker readers are placed together. Kathy also recommends keeping partners together for long term (a couple of months...Hence the term partnerships!)
The teacher is the person who assigns the reading partners! Before I read Kathy’s book, I had my students choose their own partners every day. After much reflection, I realized that they spent way too much time choosing a partner. It often became a popularity contest and my students frequently had “hurt feelings” if their friend did not want to read with them or chose to read with another student. I realized teaching mini-lessons about how to choose a reading partner was not the best use of our time! I have noticed a big difference since I have switched teacher assigned, ability-based partnerships…much more on task and focused, no “hurt feelings” either! I still allow my students to choose their reading partners for the first few weeks of school. However, after a few mini-lessons I assign reading partners and I reassign them every couple of months.
If you are having a hard time with this concept, Kathy suggests relating it to your life.
Here is an example that I atually use with my students!
I have run 2 marathons!
For both marathons I had a different training partner which was at the same ability as me. We liked the challenge of the marathon but weren’t too concerned about our time. We ran our long runs together, supported each other, and crossed the finish line together! It would not have been beneficial to train with a friend who was a super fast runner or with a friend who walked the entire race. Keep this in mind when you making reading partners! Share a real life story with your students during one of your mini-lessons!
Reading partners read a book that is at their “just-right reading level” and a book they mutually agree on. (You can get double copy books from your library or Scholastic book orders!) Reading partners are assigned when I learn more about my students as readers and and find out who has a common interest/reading level. For example, I might have one girl who is an F&P instructional reading level of P and another girl (or boy!!) who is an F&P instructional reading level of Q. They also have a common interest of reading mysteries and their personalities complement each other they will make perfect reading partners! Reading partnerships and book buddies are a great way to get your students TALKING about books! It provides your students with the opportunity to discuss literature in a meaningful and engaging way.
I begin the year by implementing book buddies with my ability-based reading partners. The buddies DO NOT read the book aloud together like they would to practice their reading fluency. Instead, buddies meet over the course of a couple of weeks and read the assigned portion of the book independently. I begin book buddies with my third graders around November and we usually read about 3 books total during our Book Buddy Meetings. This takes place over the course of a couple of months. After the students are comfortable working with different readers and they learned how to stay focused and on task during Book Buddies I then introduce literature groups to my students!
Reading partnerships is when I have my ability-based reading partners read the book aloud together, practice their fluency, and then of course, have a discussion about the book!
I saved the best part for last....celebrations!!! Everyone loves a good celebration! I knew I loved Kathy Collins book when she emphasized the importance having celebrations in honor of your readers!!!
Here are a few of the celebrations we have: 
A grand opening of our classroom library!!! And yes, go all out!! Get some balloons, blow 'em up, spread them around the classroom! Your students won't believe that they are having a party for reading!!!
We also have a reading workshop classroom contract that all readers sign with their nice, brightly colored markers.
And every Friday, mystery readers! This idea is inspired by Beth Newingham. I often wish I was a student in her class!
Parents sign up to be mystery readers and as you can see...some REALLY get into the role!
Mrs. Claus was so kind to bring in cookies and milk for her read aloud.
As you can see, it does not take a lot to get your readers even more excited about reading!! Just throw in cookies and it is a celebration!!! :)
Wow..long post. Now you can see why we waited to write these posts during the summer!!! I am very impressed if you are still reading at this point! :) If you take one thing away from this post...have it be this: good readers become great readers by READING, “simply” reading just right books independently. I believe whole-heartedly that this workshop approach to teaching reading (and even writing and math) is the way to go with so many of our students who NEED differentiated instruction and small group instruction. As Sharon Taberski emphasizes in her book, highly qualified teachers and not programs are the most important thing to the success of our students. It is actually quite scary to know the impact that TEACHERS, solely teachers, have on our students! I also believe that Mrs. Tabb, Nicole and I would be great friends!!! Have you read about how she implements reader's workshop in her classroom with her first graders?? Can you even believe that she met Kathy Collins!?!?! Now, I know we met Marc Brown and all...but I am green with envy!!! :)
If you want reading workshop to rock in your classroom this fall, check out our new file that we just added to TpT: Rockin' Reading Workshop!
Rockin' Reading Workshop includes:
-Colorful posters for the different components of RW, teacher talk about the principles and structure of RW, mini-lessons galore, partner and private reading time activities (independent reading rubric, book buddy booklets, non-fiction and fiction reading contracts) and reading celebration ideas
Here is a sneak peek of the file:
****This portion of the blog post was updated on August 14th, 2012!!!!********
Please make sure you download the revised Rockin' Reading Workshop if you already purchased it! :)
How do you rock reading workshop in your classroom????
Enough about us, we can't wait to hear YOUR rockin' reading workshop ideas!!!
