In the 3rd grade classroom at LeRoy, literacy
instruction takes place in the morning. They have language workshop from 8:30
to 9:00, then reading workshop from 9:00 to 10:00, and then writing workshop
from 10:00 to 11:00. My CT would also do a read aloud with the students at the
end of the day. They have been working on writing narratives. One was about
their personal life, and then another was writing about their opinion about a
character in a story and providing evidence from the text. For the narratives
on their personal life, they were working on their final drafts. They wrote
their rough drafts, and my CT provided them with feedback on their papers. They
also have a rubric to guide them in their writing of what is expected of them.
Then while writing their final drafts, they take into account the feedback from
my CT, and they make checks on the rubric to make sure they are including
everything they need to. For writing about their opinion about a character in a
story and providing evidence from the text, I saw how my CT collaborated well
with them in guiding their writing. She gave them a short fictional story to
read, in which they highlighted any important evidence to support their opinion
about the character in the story. The question was, “Do you think Kenyon is a
good grandson or not? Why?” All of the student had already read the story and
highlighted their evidence, but one student was absent in which I read the story
to him and helped him highlight any evidence to support his opinion. Then my CT
began to ask what they thought of Kenyon, and most agreed he was a good
grandson. My CT had the same sheet of paper on the SMARTboard as the students
had on their desk to write about their opinion and supporting evidence. My CT
modeled how and what to write on the paper, and the students followed along.
She first began by writing their opinion on the white board, and creating a short
list of 3-4 supporting evidence from the text. To do this she would ask
students what they found in the text and what they highlighted. Students would
tell great examples from what they highlighted to support their opinion. Then
she began to ask what she should write first on her sheet, and students would
raise their hand to answer. She continued to ask what to write to make the
paper flow and use the supporting evidence they found listed on the board.
Students continued to raise their hand to answer, and my CT would gather that
info to write on the SMARTboard what they should write down. Students would
copy what she writes on the board. Then they stopped for the day, and would
continue it another day. For reading workshop, my CT uses reading stations,
which encompasses read to self, guided reading with my CT, and SpellingCity. My
CT groups the students based on their level for her small group guided reading.
She works on a different group each day. They are at a small table while the
other students read to self at any spot in the room, and another group goes on
the computers to play SpellingCity. For the guided reading, I have seen her
work with a small group on reading comprehension and spelling. My CT first went
over some spelling words they may find in their reading on her easel. Then they
each had the same short chapter book to read and read a few pages to
themselves. Then my CT would ask questions for comprehension on what they just
read.
I feel that this literacy instruction is very effective and
developmentally appropriate from what I have learned at ISU. I like that they
use the workshop model, and have a read aloud everyday. I think this is helpful
and supporting of the students’ literacy learning. It is important how my CT
provides feedback to the students, uses modeling, direct instruction, guided
reading, independent reading and writing, etc. This all connects to what I have
learned at ISU. I have also seen my CT use running records and informal
assessments. I would like to implement these strategies in my own classroom,
and I will also plan to use the workshop model including modeling, direct instruction,
and supportive feedback in my teaching. My CT is a very good model in how she teaches,
and this helps me to see how I can teach.
