Teaching In Action

If you walked into my classroom you'd see an organized space; from books, to materials, supplies and even how children interact with me and each other. Everything is intentional. The walls of my classroom speak of the children's work and writing we have created together (Shared and Interactive writing, charts and processes that guide our thinking and learning, etc).

My Language Arts block includes Reading Workshop, Guided Reading, Writer's Workshop, and Language and Word Study.
I used a balanced literacy approach that includes:

• Interactive Read Aloud
• Read to Self
• Guided Reading (small group and individual instruction informed by systematic documentation of student progress)
  
  mall group and individual instruction informed by systematic documentation of student progress - See more at: http://www.literacycollaborative.org/model/instructional/#implementation
  mall group and individual instruction informed by systematic documentation of student progress - See more at: http://www.literacycollaborative.org/model/instructional/#implementation
• Shared Reading (with big books and poems)
• Independent Writing (Writer's Workshop)
• Interactive Writing (where students and I "share the pen.") 
• Phonics instruction (using Fountas and Pinnell).

It might seem like a lot but it flows smoothly with well taught routines and students are engaged in meaningful, inquiry-based learning! While children are engaged I am able to conference and work with individual and small groups of students on their reading and comprehension skills.

During Writer's Workshop I model what good writing looks like then send student's off to write independently, While they write I am conferencing with each child and making notes,  I love Lucy Calkin's series on the Writer's Workshop framework and that is what I use most in my class.

Sample Lesson plan from my teaching (click to enlarge)

Learning in Action:

Parents are involved in many ways in my classroom. They help with day to day tasks, tutoring, enrichment, and even join us for special celebrations like our Author Celebration.