Winter Blog.... 1/25

Optimal Learning Model (Gradual Release of Responsibility) it very important for a classroom to start with a focus lesson which will prepare students for independent learning. I have seen this model happened in all the subject areas at my main placement. My CT will introduce a new concept; she then will give an example where she does it first. Then she will work through another problem with the students. Next she will ask if there are any questions, then she lets the students work independently.

The connection to my main placement is that my teacher has guided reading groups. After the beginning of the year assessment my CT put the students in to different level groups based on their ability.  She has five different groups; she tries me meet with one or two groups a day. She has her stronger groups on Friday or Monday because these are the days that are missed most during the school year. They are placed this way because it is going to have an negative impact on their learning much as the students who are in the lower level groups. While working with the reading groups she has the other students reading independently. While they are reading they are working on specific topic. Right now they are working on who are the characters, what is the setting, is there a problem, and then what the solution is. At the end of reading workshop she has each student turn to their table partners and share what they learned, and then takes a few volunteers to share out lout to the whole class.

For example, in the reading group “Green Book Worm,” they got a new book where they working on reading with expression. So how do you do when there is (?), (!), or a (.). On a separate sheet she wrote down each of the punctuation and what it means and how they need to read that sentence. During the reading time they rainbow read, and when they are not reading they need to be following along with their eyes, and pointing to each word.