Reader's Workshop

  Why use Reader's Workshop in your classroom? That is a very good question. I think the following summarizes why Reader's Workshop is an important component of a literacy classroom.

  Even though Jacob may believe that I came up with this "genius system", I cannot take credit for it, but I can shout to the roof tops about this "genius system." I have always encouraged my students to read in my classroom, but I have struggled for several years on trying to find the best way to teach reading to my class. It always felt like reading was a boring 45-60 minute torture for both me and my students. It was very discouraging! I loved to read, but I was finding that I could not get my students to also love to read, especially those students who were not reading on grade level.

  I have been using small reading groups since my days as a special education teacher. While I was using small groups,  I still felt like I was still hitting a brick wall. Yes, I was leveling more to the students' reading levels, but I still felt that I wasn't getting through to the students. We were still reading "round robin" style, because I felt like I needed to hear the students reading out loud. I was also assigning a lot of those "difficult and somewhat monotonous" worksheets. I knew I shouldn't be just relying on worksheets, but I also felt I needed to get a grade. It was very frustrating!

  This year, my school offered training in guided reading. After going to the training, I was curious about the way I could use it in my classroom. First of all, I was intrigued by the idea that I didn't have to listen to every student read every day. I needed to give up control, and put the reading in the students' laps. I also loved the idea of discussing the books with the students. I started to implement this concept in my classroom the next week. I regrouped my students, found books at their instructional reading levels, handed out chapter notes, and we were on our way to fully implementing this "genius system"!

  I was given the opportunity to visit another teacher's classroom to see how she was implementing Reader's Workshop in her classroom. I found it very beneficial actually going into a classroom and seeing how Reader's Workshop should be ran. Of course, after observing her classroom and speaking with her, I was even more excited to get back to my classroom to use a few of her ideas. I highly recommend observing another teacher implementing Reader's Workshop if you are considering this for your classroom.

  Reader's Workshop is not difficult to implement into your classroom, but it does take some planning on your part. You need to decide if you are going to use Literacy Stations, Reader's Response Notebooks, what books you would like to have your students read, how you are going to set up your classroom, what mini-lessons you are going to teach, and more. I have found that questions seem to come as you are implementing Reader's Workshop. I have also found that I have tailored it to fit my classroom and my teaching style, so while these ideas you are about to explore are good ideas, they are the way I do it in my classroom. So take what you need, and tailor it to your classroom. Also, be sure to check out the resources section. I have read these resources, and they are great resources to include in your resource library.

  On a final note, I am by no means an "expert" at implementing Reader's Workshop into a classroom, but I have read a lot this summer about implementing it in my classroom, and I can't wait to start fresh this coming up year. If you have already been implementing Reader's Workshop into your classroom, please feel free to drop me a line. I would LOVE to include other teacher's ideas and experiences on this webpage. I really feel the more we share, the better off we are.

    Please be respectful of the materials that are available for your use on this page. I have developed several of the worksheets, but I have also used Debbie Diller's books (see resource section) to help me develop quite a few of these resources. I have contacted Ms. Diller and received her permission to post these pages on my website. Whenever I have used her ideas, I have given credit. These materials are for CLASSROOM USE ONLY. They should not be posted on any website unless you have e-mailed and asked for permission (cobbj@lcsc.k12.in.us or finchteach@sbcglobal.net ). You may link directly to this webpage from your website.

Teacher Forms Learning About Literacy Genres	These forms are for the teacher to keep as a master copy. I copy the Daily Meeting Notes and place them in a binder. I use these when working with the different guided reading groups. Include in this packet: Reader's Response Journal Scoring Guide, Daily Reading Log, Accountability Chart, Chapter Notes, Books I've Read in Grade 5 Chart, Books I Want to Read Chart, Abandoned Books Chart, My Interesting Word Bank, and Reading is Thinking Worksheets
Graphic Organizers	I found these Scholastic Graphic Organizers while searching the Internet. I have included the link, so you can check out this resource.
Listening Station	I have not used a Stations in my classroom, but I am planning on using them in my class next school year with our adopted reading series. These worksheets came from Debbie Diller's book Practice with Purpose (refer to resource section). I have permission from Ms. Diller to use these on my website. Included in this packet: Listening Map-Fiction (2) and Listening Map-Nonfiction (2).
Newspaper Station	Our school received Time for Kids, so I am planning on using this Station with this kid's magazine. I am also planning on using our local newspaper with this Station. Again, these worksheets came from Debbie Diller's book Practice with Purpose, and have been used with permission from Ms. Diller. Included in this packet: News Story Before Reading, News Story During Reading, News Story After Reading, News Story Extra Activities, Newspaper Question Cards.
Computer Station	At this station, my students are going to be working on many different skills, such as typing. I am also going to let them type stories, research topics, and do specific activities on the computer. I am currently working on a binder of helpful hints for my students so they can use it to find how to do computer activities while I am working with Guided Reading Groups.
Writing Station	I will be providing more information as I create materials for this Station. This Station will basically be used for the students to work on what we are doing during Writing Workshop.
Spelling Station	At this Station I am going to allow students to work together on reviewing for their spelling tests. I will be adding the resources I create once I start working with this Station.
Library Station	I am going to make my classroom library a Station in my classroom. At this Station, they will be able to read freely any materials that they choose. I am also going to have a basket of book recommendation slips, so students can recommend books that they have read to other students. I will have a bulletin board available for the students.
Buddy Reading Station	This Stations is just what it sounds like, the students will read together the same book. These books will be geared toward their levels. Once I have developed forms for this center, I will be posting them online.
Science Station	This Station will be used once we start Science Units in class. For instance, I have a unit on microscopes. Once I teach the students how to use the microscopes, I am planning on having a Station where the students can explore items by using their microscopes. Check back in the future for more information concerning this Station.
Social Studies Station	This Station will be similar to the Science Station, but geared toward Social Studies.
Work Station Headers Work Station Headers 2	I designed these headers after reading Debbie Diller's book Practice with Purpose. I have designed them for my classroom, but it may give you an idea how to use them in your classroom. If you have frogs as a theme in your classroom, then they might meet your needs. I have three header cards for newspaper work station, buddy reading station, and spelling work station because I will probably have more than one group work at these stations. These stations will be place in tubs so the students can take them to their seats to work since I won't have a certain area set aside in my classroom. After attending Debbie Diller's conference, I learned more about how to set up stations. I changed the format of the station cards. I have added them here for you, but decided to keep the first just in case someone liked them better.
Reading is Thinking Worksheets	I developed these worksheets to use in my classroom with ANY chapter book. I use these for a reading grade. I do expect my students to use complete sentences to express their thoughts about what they are reading. I used these about once a week, sometimes every two weeks. It just depended upon what books they were reading. These worksheets can also be round in the Teacher Forms.
Reader's Response Journal Buzz Groups Pictures Reader's Response Journal Pictures	I have developed these materials to use in my classroom. You can find many different ways teachers use Reader's Response Journals by searching the Internet. In this packet you will find my letter to the students, checklist, and scoring guide.
Reading Log	I require my students to read 30 minutes a day outside of school (weekends included). They fill out their Reading Log to show what they have been reading and how long they have been reading. I have also included a section for Accelerated Reader since we have that program in our building. I have also asked for Parent Initials to verify that the students have been reading. I do use this as a reading grade at the end of each month. This form can also be found in Teacher Forms.
Book Recommendation Form Book Recommendation Pictures	I created the book recommendation form for a bulletin board in my classroom. I am going to have the students fill one out and place on the bulletin board. Hopefully by sharing what the students are reading in class will motivate others to read the same book.
Books for Guided Reading	These are books that I have in my classroom for guided reading. Often I try to use a theme for my groups. For instance, I do a unit on the Iditarod, so each of my groups read books at their level that have something to do with the theme of the Iditarod. I also do Author Studies. I love Roald Dahl books, so I have several of his books at different levels and each group will read a book by Roald Dahl. I don't always do this, but it helps when studying specific topics, like the Iditarod. At times, I give my students a controlled choice of books they can read. I will pick out three or four different titles and let the group choose the book they are going to read for guided reading.
Teacher Resources	Click on the dragonfly to be taken to a webpage of teacher resources.
Websites	Click on the dragonfly to be taken to websites of teachers who are using Reader's Workshop in their classrooms.

A note on the Stations, I will not be implementing all of the Learning Stations at one time. I will be introducing Stations once the students have mastered the use of a couple of Stations at a time. Hopefully, by October (at the latest), we will have most of the Stations up and running. I hope to include pictures of the Stations being used as the year progresses.

*Please check back as I am planning on updating this webpage once I have developed more resources for my Reader's Workshop.