Meaningful Small Group Instruction

After analyzing data in a specific grade, it was determined that individual students needed more support from their teachers at their instructional level. Through classroom observations, the need to revise small group instruction became a focus for me. I worked with two novice teachers in rebuilding and reorganizing small group instruction to fit the needs of their students as well as keep the focus on growing readers and increasing the volume of reading.

Using the Wonders curriculum, I created an organizer that would help the teachers effectively sort through skill practice and reading instruction on a daily (and weekly) basis. Some highlights of this plan included the first few minutes of small group being used for a review/independent level task like reading decodables from earlier in the school year. This allowed for practice of partner reading. Then, skill practice took place focusing on scaffolded support as needed for the different small groups. Each small group meeting wrapped up with about 5-7 minutes in their leveled text. I became aware of "Close Reading" packets provided by Wonders to support the teachers when using the weekly Level Readers. These packets were provided to the teachers and used on three different days during small groups.

Through modeling, reflection, and observation, the teachers were able to adopt these small group reading plans in their classrooms. One teacher took this opportunity to really grow with a stronger focus on reading instruction, time in text, and independent reading levels. She adapted the plan a bit to fit her personal instructional style.

This was one of the most meaningful long-term coaching cycles that I was a part of this school year. Much reflection was done on my part in how to effectively communicate with these teachers, offer the right amount of support without taking over a process, and allow for individual adaptation and change on a process while keeping to the main purpose!

Small Group weekly plan

Coaching Cycle Organizers

Purposeful Planning: Know Where You Are Going!

Purposeful planning is something that we have been encouraging our teachers to do, making sure they know where they are headed with their instruction and why they are heading that way. To support that effort, I created a planning chart for our Kindergarten teachers to use. At the beginning of the third quarter, one teacher had approached me with the concern of pacing out the next quarter's standards per the district report card.

Hearing her concern, I sought support from another district IC who focuses on the primary grades. Through that conversation, I determined the use of an organizer would benefit us in planning math standards and instructional pacing.

For the first planning event, we laid out all the major standards that would introduced to students in the third quarter, paced out by the report card. Then we used the Investigations guide to determine which units have/will hit on those standards. Next, we determined at what level of mastery the standards were taught using Investigation and what, if any, additional instruction or resources needed to be pulled to meet the standard and fine-tune instruction for the students' sake.

We repeated this same process for the last quarter of the school year. More teachers took part in the process the second time around. There was more ownership and awareness due to such purposeful planning. It is my goal to continue such planning into the next school year so teachers continue to know where they are headed, why they are headed that way, and how/what instruction and supports will be utilized.

Kindergarten Math Plan

Read Across RES!

Knowing that Read Across America was fast approaching, I offered my support to make this event a success at our school. Having not been here for the celebration in years past, I sought out advice from previous organizers. I determined that a week-long celebration would increase participation and excitement for reading, supporting our school's new initiative to increase the volume of reading!

I planned out different events and activities for the week including morning trivia, an online read-aloud to support the theme of the day, an activity (directed drawing, coloring bookmark, etc.), and drawing for free books for students who read 100 minutes or more during the week.

Weekly Plans - Teacher Version

We even had a photo booth with Dr. Seuss-inspired props!

On Wednesday we had guest readers from across our city come and read to our students! Following the reading, the guests enjoyed a complimentary brunch to thank them for their time.

We had a wonderful week celebrating reading! I am already looking forward to this event in 2017.

Reader's Oath

Bookmarks

100 Minutes of Reading

100-minute Slips