What's Your Independent Reading Focus?

When we plan lessons, it is important that we have clear cut goals in mind for student learning. The article below is entitled "Reading With a Goal in Mind." Although the focus is on reading, I feel this article has a message for teachers across the curriculum. Students are involved in independent reading assignments in every subject. Let's makes sure our students are engaged in meaningful tasks that causes them to apply metagacognitive skills during whole group, small group, and independent tasks. Are you willing to shift from traditional independent reading to goal-directed independent reading?

Please post your thoughts.

http://www.alsde.edu/sec/ari/Reading%20Specialist/Reading%20Time%20with%20Goals%20in%20Mind.pdf

Blended Learning/Flipped Classroom

Teachers ask yourselves, are you an "obsolete" educator or an "absolute" educator? Are you going to a let technology remove you from your passion as an obsolete educator or are you willing to cultivate technology into your craft and show others what an absolute educator you are? Technology is driving our 21st  century classrooms on all levels because it is constantly driving our everyday lives.  It is vital that educators embrace this shift and be willing to incorporate as much technology into your lessons across the curriculum as much as possible. Put away your fears (Technophobia) and "blend in" aspects of technology. Once you began to "blend in" technology with some of your face to face instructional practices you will see a difference in student achievement. As you and your students grow, then you will be ready to move into the flipped classroom. A flipped classroom is nothing but blended learning on an elevated level. Educators as you began to research and plan for this upcoming school year, I challenge you to use the link below to help you become an "absolute" educator. 

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/the-epic-byod-toolchest-vicki-davis

Third graders at Wylam K-8 increasing their volume of reading in the  Independent Reading station. Students are expected to read a book of their choice silently, share their book with a "reading buddy," and log in a reading response in their reading journal. Awesome Learning!!

(In the picture, the ARI Reading Specialist is serving as a "reading buddy" while also providing support to the teacher during the reading block)

Food for Thought

"Students can do no better than the assignments they are given."

Think about your daily assignments:

 Are they challenging? 

Are they allowing students the opportunity to think critically? 

Are your assignments geared toward passive or active learners?

Does the assignments allow for students to engage in meaningful academic conversations?

What are the overall goals for each assignment? 

Is the path to achieving these goals worth traveling?

How many of you are using this approach in your daily teaching practice?

It's very important that we utilize this concept. Balanced Literacy is a research-based approach that gives the teacher a chance to move instruction from modeling, to sharing, to guiding, and eventually to students working independently.