Chapter+8+Week+5

I can't believe we are at the end of the book already! Chapter 8 addresses //Organizing and Managing Small-Group Conferring: Common Questions//. I am glad that Serravallo includes the statement "Having a reading workshop is not essential, however, to be able to lead the type of quality, small-group instruction described in this book." I never intended for this to be a "how to have a reading workshop" book study but rather a how to improve instruction in small groups book study. Most teachers that I know do not officially have a reading or writing workshop in place but they do many of the things that are done in these workshop settings. The difference is mostly in the record-keeping. I think we need the predictable structures, the option of student choice, and direct, explicit instruction. Now to some questions:

What is the purpose of the minilesson? How can all students have an opportunity to practice during the minilesson? What do students do during independent reading time?

Even though we as Title I teachers are not as concerned with "What are the rest of the kids doing?" we might be asked for advice from classroom teachers or principals and it is good to know that the author addresses this issue on page 207. I loved it when Debbie commented that she was sharing the charts from the book with some of the classroom teachers at Poca. It is so important that we offer our help and it really makes a book study or other staff development worthwhile when it is extended to other professionals.

Which note-taking form did you prefer or do you have one of your own that you use?

I'm looking forward to seeing you at the Title I meeting. We'll discuss the book study as well as other things and maybe do a quick evaluation of the book study. Thanks for your input! Sherry