Classroom+Management+in+the+Reading+Workshop

Managing a group of independent readers while conferring with readers and meeting with small groups can be challenging.

We will determine rules about independent reading time in our classroom. One rule is that you must find “your own” place to read and not distract other readers. For some students, this is hard. They would rather sit together with their friends and pass the time. A book nook rotation schedule that is switched everyday might be used so that every student has a certain place he or she should be reading. I also have pillows, bean bags, etc. that are popular among my readers. These items are included on my book nook rotation schedule so that no time is wasted after the mini-lesson arguing over who gets the pillows when we are transitioning to independent reading time. Click HERE for more information on Book Nooks. || Each reader has his or her own "Bag of Books". Readers are asked to keep enough books in their bag to last them for at least a week of independent reading time. Without Book Bags, students would spend more time browsing the classroom library than they would engaged in text. Students may ask for a “shopping day” and will be allowed to switch out books for new books in their Book Bags, or readers can ask to visit the library when necessary. I always make sure that readers visit the library in the morning (if necessary) rather than during the independent reading block of our reading workshop. Selecting books should not take away from important time spent engaged in text. Click HERE for more information on Book Bags. ||
 * Book Nooks
 * Bag of Books
 * Reading Log

Students must record ALL books they read throughout the year in their Language Notebook. They visit this log often to reflect on their own reading habits, create genre graphs, set monthly reading goals, and help them assess their reading progress. Click HERE for more information about Reader’s Notebooks and book logs. ||
 * Independent Reading Checklist

Unfortunately, I cannot be watching every reader during the workshop. I am often busy conferring with individuals or meeting with small groups. For this reason, students may be asked complete a quick checklist to help them monitor their reading behavior. The things on the checklist are determined by the students during an earlier mini-lesson. The checklist only takes about 2 minutes at the end of independent reading. This checklist adds an accountability factor to the workshop and serves as a constant reminder of expected reading behavior. I look at the students’ checklists often and use them as points of discussion for some of my readers during the time we confer. ||  ||
 * Assessment/Accountability

While my main form of assessment is done when conferring with readers or meeting in small groups, I also want to hold students accountable for authentic reading when they are not working directly with me. As students read their books, they are asked to use post-it notes to record the thinking that they are doing as they read. After they get done with a book, they remove the post-it notes and organize them in their notebook. Students then staple the post its so that the notes do not fall off. I like to look at these pages to assess students’ level of thinking, and I often refer to the post-it notes when conferring with readers. ||
 * No Interruptions

Once reading workshop begins, I really try to tolerate very few interruptions. Since reading workshop always occurs the same time each day, I tell students that they need to go to the bathroom before we start. (Of course in emergency situations students will be allowed to go to the bathroom, but emphasizing the need to go before instruction begins leads to far fewer students leaving the classroom during this time.) Students must also have their Book Bags ready before independent reading time starts so that there are not groups of students browsing the classroom library during the time that they should be engaged in their texts. ||

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