• Reader's Workshop

    During Reader's Workshop, students choose what books are "just right" for them based on their reading level. This model allows teachers to differentiate and meet the needs of all students. Here is what the daily Reader's Workshop session includes:
     
    Interactive Read Aloud:
     
    This takes place at the beginning of the reading block during snack. The teacher reads a fiction or nonficiton book aloud to the students as a whole group. The purpose is to model the reading behaviors and strategies that will be focused on throughout the other components of Reader's Workshop. Students can think about and discuss the text, learn about many different genres, and see the joy of reading.
     
    Mini-Lesson:
     
    The Reader's Workshop session begins with a mini-lesson in which the teacher models good reading behaviors, procedures for Reader's Workshop, reading strategies and skills, comprehension strategies, and literary elements and techniques.
     
    Independent Reading and Conferring:
     
    Each day, students are given 20-30 minutes to independently read their "just-right" books. This is the time for students to practice the strategies modeled in the mini-lessons. Students will work alone, in pairs, and in small groups throughout the year. During this time, I will be conferring with individual students and small groups. During these conferences, I may review a strategy or skill or listen to a student discuss his or her book. Students may also be working on reading responses, discussing their books with partners or groups, or reading silently and independently.  
     
    Sharing and Reflecting:
     
    At the end of each Reader's Workshop session, the whole class comes back together as a group. The daily skills and strategies will be reviewed, and students can share and celebrate their reading achievements from the session.
     
    Writer's Workshop
     
    Similar to the Reader's Workshop model, students will write a variety of genres to foster a love of writing. The components of Writer's Workshop include:
     
    Mini-Lesson:
     
    Students are introduced to the skills and strategies of effective writing.
     
    Independent Writing and Conferring:
     
    Students will be working independently to think about an idea, draft, edit, revise, and publish their work while the teacher works with individual students or small groups.
     
    Sharing and Reflecting:
     
    Students come back together as a group at the end of the session to share work and for the teacher to reinforce the skills taught that day.