Just like the bench in the midst of the barracks in Seville, as teachers we often do things year in and year out because years ago someone viewed it as the best strategy to embrace. I have already altered my reading structure this year after having a "What are they really learning?" moment last year. I would give my students ample opportunities to get a book and come to the carpet after completing a task. However, there was no way for me to determine what they were actually taking away from the experience. While I do still give them plenty of opportunities to "read" independently, at least twice a week we engage in guided reading using the BOB Books. In order to do this, however, I had to shuffle some things around because i simply do not have enough time in the day. It is difficult to make time with 4K due to the fact that there are only so many things you can shorten or eliminate within a school day. Therefore anything that I felt could be used as an ELA interest area became just that. This opened up a whole block of time for the guided reading.
I found this particular section to be very beneficial and it hit fairly close to home, considering this was something I was struggling with coming into this school year.
I always feel like the author knows me when they happen to touch on something I've been grappling with outside of the pages of their book! That "What are they really learning?" moment is scary--but critical. It shows you are willing to reflect on your practice and make changes in the best interests of children, even if it means more work and new practices for you. Thank you for sharing your experience!
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