Linda Clinton is a literacy coach in East Detroit Public Schools. She keeps up with much of what I write in this space, and I can always rely on her to provide insightful comments, meaningful feedback, and ideas that enhance the work that I get to do with teachers each day. As I began this series on literature circles several days ago, she sent the following message my way. It provides a great example of how…
As students engage in the work of literature circles, teachers assume a variety of roles. Early in the process, roles and behaviors require defining. Teachers who take the time to demonstrate how they want their students to behave as cooperative learners are often rewarded by higher quality discussion, comprehension, and group engagement. In the beginning, mini-lessons might focus on any number of topics, depending on the diverse needs of your students. Starting a dialogue rather than stating…
Most of the teachers that I work with have inherited students who are not yet accustomed to the cooperative learning structures and processes that drive effective literature circles. As a result, the honeymoon is often over far too soon as teachers begin confronting the reality of this learning environment: it’s a bit messier than what happens when we seat kids in rows, ply them with paper, and direct them to keep quiet unless they raise…
Planning to launch a literature circles experience requires teachers to begin with the end in mind. Considering what we want kids to know and be able to do at the end of the journey is a good place to begin, and rather than focusing on teaching specific books or titles, attending to identified skills and essential questions lends meaning and purpose to the work that will be done. Students should be reading books that are appropriate…
I’m a tremendous fan of literature circles. I used them frequently in my own classroom and enjoy learning more about the varied ways to maximize their potential. Many of the teachers that I’ve been working with this year have begun launching literature circles in their own classrooms, and witnessing the energy that builds in response to their efforts is pretty inspiring. Great things can happen when kids are invited to talk with one another about what…
Providing choice, time, and access to great books goes a long way toward motivating kids who would rather not be reading, but as @steveshann reminded me on Twitter last night, community is everything and conversation is where it begins. Informal conversation. Communities build around books and reading rapidly when we invite kids to share their honest opinions about what they’re reading. I remember watching this happen with Go Ask Alice, the Harry Potter series, The…
This week’s posts have focused on reluctant readers and three factors that teachers might consider in their efforts to hook kids on books. I’ve shared my own experiences with providing choice to young readers and carving out class time for pleasure reading. Today, I wanted to share some ideas and resources that might help you get great books into the hands of the kids you hope to inspire. Books are a treat. They are gifts.…
Nurturing a passion for reading begins with providing choice, but making space within the school day for kids to read the books that they choose can be a challenge as well. Many schools build DEAR time into the daily or weekly schedule by using time during homeroom or lunch or revamping the schedule to make space for reading. As an English teacher, I was a huge proponent of reading workshop. These days, I get to…
Provide Choice. Provide Time. Provide Access to Books. Sounds easy, I guess. I know from experience that it isn’t though. Consider the first factor: providing kids choice in terms of what they read. Few people would question the logic that suggests kids who are allowed to choose their own reading material are more likely to actually read it. Yet, many teachers are still making MOST of the reading choices for their students and finding themselves frustrated when kids…
Teachers spend a good amount of time focused on struggling readers. We analyze standardized tests, keep running records, and monitor progress in an attempt to diagnose and respond to the needs of students who require added support in order to be successful. So much so, I speculate, that we sometimes find ourselves with little time to attend to one of our other responsibilities: helping kids fall in love with reading. What are your earliest experiences with books and reading?…