LJones

Chapter 4 is about establishing routines. It gives 20 days of minilessons for setting up routines for the workshop. I wonder about the space?! I don't see having enough room for 19-24 students to create a 'good book nook' space without distractions, ample lighting, etc. The rooms feel so cluttered. And I wonder about the supply of books (within the classroom?). Other than these concerns the readers workshop has elements I am using and will use. I like 'the strategies you might use to choose a just right book' - pg. 61 Chapter 5 has minilessons on reading strategies and skills.Its nice to have some sample lessons and resource list. These lessons are very familiar and . . . similar to the ones we use with the basal. Chapter 6 has minilessons on literary elements ane techniques.Again it has some ready made minilessons to use and resource list.The chapter ends by saying some lessons carry over to the writing. I like the quote - saying - that 'read like writers' now, 'write like readers'.

Revisiting Reading Workshop Chapters 1-3 We have been fortunate this year in 4th grade that our schedule allows us to have a 30 minute block for DEAR time and conferencing. This is in addition to the 1 hour block for reading using the basal/trade books/DI. Because of this, I have been able to incorporate many of the elements of Readers Workshop. I read Nancy Atwell's Middle Grades that is mentioned in Chapter 1 and while working on my masters at Berry we were to use Readers Workshop/Balanced literacy approach during our clinicals/student teaching. We are also fortunate to have many elements of Readers workshop within our basal reading program. The mini-lesson or focus on a reading strategy, the previewing and building background, fluency checks, reading logs, teacher modeling and questioning are all apart of it. I feel my students are aware of and using reading strategies discussed and modeled in class. Some highlights of ch1 include: comp;arison of traditional/and reading workshop c lassrooms; and definition of reading workshop. Chapter 2 is aobut organization and management of the workshop - it includes expectations, sample rules. sample schedules, crating an inclass library with checkout procedures, as well as communicating with parents. Chapter 3 is about planning of minilessons - I need to go back and through through it again. I'd like to keep this book.