1. Making it Work: Understanding and Managing Literacy Instruction
August 6 and 7, 2014
Kerry Crosby and Julie Burchstead

2. Welcome Sign in and pick up handouts
Find your grade cluster area and hang up your classroom map.
Open to a clean page in your reflection journal and begin writing a “slice of life” story.
What is a slice of life story? (See anchor chart live or on Haiku).

3. “Great literature, if we read it well, opens us up to the world and makes us more sensitive to it, as if we acquired eyes that could see through things, and ears that could hear smaller sounds.”
-- Donald Hall  
(Quoted in LBTL, pp 21-22)
Read aloud All the Places to Love; mini writing workshop and then break for 15 minutes

4. Reflection
In your reflection journals, divide the page into 2 columns.
Reflect on your current system of data management. What works? What doesn’t?

5. The Essential Questions:
What kind of data do I need to collect?
How do I organize my data so it is meaningful and user-friendly?
Okay, I have all this data, what do I do with it?
How do I individualize instruction for a classroom of unique learners?
How do I manage small groups, whole group, and individual instruction?
How often do I meet with students?

6. What are we trying to assess?
Read pages in Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency.
What do we value in assessing reading?
What do we value in assessing writing?

7. Sources for Daily, On-going Assessment
For Reading:
Act or process of Reading
Analysis of Response to reading—talk or writing
For Writing:
Act or process of Writing
Written piece
Talk about writing
Writing/
Getting good at observing talk…hand out the one with the strategic actions and have them look at their anecdotal evidence for high, middle, and low

8. Data Management
Share management under the document camera

9. Taking Observational Notes while Conferring
Date
Working On/Book
Strength(s) Observed
Next Step/Lift
Maybe Next Time

10. Data Notebook: Scheduling and tracking Individual Student Conferences
Two tools are used for scheduling and tracking
Individual student conferences:
A Monthly Calendar (you can use the calendar function on your Apple computer to print blank calendar pages for any month range) As you confer with students, set the next date for a conference on your calendar.
A class list student tracking form is used to show at a glance how often you have met with each student. (page 102 and 104 GRW)

11. Data Notebook: The Calendar
Conferences last 3-5 minutes (Adjust the time and frequency to match the duration of your class size and independent reading)
Students most at risk are scheduled for guided reading every day if possible.
In Grades 2 and up, conferring can happen while GR group is processing the text.
Data Notebook: The Calendar
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
1 GR Group 1
John
Susan
Robert
2 GR Group 1
GR Group 2
Isabelle
3 GR Group 1
Sierra
Kendra
Sarah
4 GR Group 1
GR Group 3
Jordan
5 GR Group 1
GR Group 4
Kyle
8 David
Isaac 9 10 11 12 15 16 17 18 19 22 23 24 25 26
Students are added to the calendar is a regular cycle, with slots added for additional support as needs become evident through observation and data collection.
We may need to teak the Four Blocks practice of doing Guded Reading whole group and look at a mini-lesson, small guided reading strategy group model

12. Data Notebook: Reading/Writing Checksheet
Using the calendar example from the preceding slide, this is how the conferences would be recorded on the check-sheet for the week.
Dates represent an individual conference, or attendance in a guided reading group. .

13. Summary of Data Components
Reading
Running Records (as necessary)
Anecdotals—strengths/next steps
Guiding Reading Plans and notes
Calendar/checklist for conferences
Writing
Organized place to view writing easily
Anecdotals—strengths and next steps
Grouping of needs --“messy” sheet
Calendar/checklist for conferences
Share management under the document camera

14. Essential Components of Literacy Instruction
In your reflection journals, divide the page into 2 columns.
Reflect on your current system of data management. What works? What doesn’t?
What are you thinking about your data management now? What components might you add? How will you use it? Sketch out how you will organize your data—sections of a binder, etc.
Lunch after this 12:30

15. Teachers should think of themselves as librarians and book sellers
Teachers should think of themselves as librarians and book sellers. I take notes from libraries and bookstores; I read book reviews; I talk to kids about books. Much of this I do because I teach, but I also enjoy it. --Rachel Mark, MEMS
Add Julie’s classroom library pics

16. Organizing Your Classroom Library
Page 89-90, GRW
Add Julie’s classroom library pics
Organized by:
Genre
Author
Type

17. Organizing Your Classroom Library
Add Julie’s classroom library pics

18. The Big Debate on Leveling Classroom Libraries
Read pages in TCF.
Add Julie’s classroom library pics

19. Organizing Your Classroom Library
Think about the books you have in your classroom library.
Make a list of potential categories for organizing.
Access genre and author labels or customize your own on Haiku under Classroom Libraries.
Make a list of supplies you will need.

20. “We put our trust in creating calm, joyful settings with simple, clear routines.”
–Shelly Harwayne
Go over thinkimg abt class procedures
Bring them to pg in grw

21. Reflection on Class Procedures
In your reflection journals, divide the page into 2 columns.
Reflect on your current protocols and expectations for independent reading.
Lunch after this 12:30

22. Reflection on Class Procedures
In your reflection journals, divide the page into 2 columns.
Reflect on your current protocols and expectations for independent reading.
Make a list of the protocols and expectations that you want to cover in your first weeks.
Lunch after this 12:30

23. Reflection
Write down two new understandings you have from today’s work.
Make a list of what you want to get done before the beginning of school.
Six-word reflection