Reading First to Reader's Workshop?

[JML]

I think I'm grasping all that Debbie Miller is doing in her workshops... In Reading First we had the 90 min block of very structured instruction - whole group/small groups and centers. I'm now going to a building that is a 90 min guided reading block and I would like to incorporate the ideas that Debbie has given. My difficulty is where is the instruction time with small groups and one on one? Is it all mini-lesson with the students using their own book choices? Where is the assessment? As a 3rd grade teacher that is under pressure of the state test - I want to be sure that I'm giving my students the tools to succeed. I would love input on how it looks in your classroom. This will be my 4th year teaching and I'm still LEARNING! Thanks.

 

[Jen L]

I'm learning too!

I feel the same way you do. I'm also a 3rd grade teacher and know there is a lot we are responsible for covering. I haven't worked everything out yet, but this is kind of what I was thinking.

10 min- kiddos make book selection (this will probably be done as they
come in 1st thing, so it's really not part of my LA block)

20 min- mini-lesson

25 min- independent reading (at that time, I can walk around and
conference with the kiddos)

25 min- writing response

10 min- share...I think I read somewhere that it's important to have the
kids share what they discovered during independent reading

40 min- guided reading/work stations

I think the mini-lessons will be done as a read aloud with some of the books DM shares in her book. That is where much of the direct instruction will take place. Then, the kiddos use their own book choices to practice the strategy they just learned. I think I will do most of my assessments during this conference time. I will probably try to come up with an assessment check-list of some sort. That way, when I conference with the kiddos, I can easily mark if they have grasped the strategy.

I was also thinking that I might do a reading strategy mini-lesson 3 days a week and a mini-lesson writing strategy 2 days a week. Does this kind of sound like what DM is thinking? This is just a start- I would love to hear everyone's feedback. Am I missing any components?