Authentic Guided Reading
11.March.2011 04:27 Filed in: Instruction
Middle School
Teachers from across District 21 recently attended
Guided Reading workshops to continue developing their
understanding of guided reading, to consider new
trade books and resources, as well as to refine
students' learning opportunities to more deeply
engage students in their own learning.
What is Guided Reading?
Guided Reading encourages student ownership of learning by acting as the guide-on the side, or facilitator, as students learn to master new levels of reading and understanding of content. Teachers work with small groups of students while other students work either in groups or independently on related skills and content. Although Guided Reading began with primary grade level students, the benefits of Guided Reading for middle school students are just as powerful.
The strategies and structures employed in a classroom utilizing Guided Reading can be taught across all subject areas, including mathematics, science, and social studies. In any case, when teachers provided "guided learning" opportunities when working with small groups of students, teachers can more easily assess, guide, and provoke deeper levels of learning in all students.
Making Guided Reading Authentic in the 21st Century
Student-driven, authentic learning opportunities intrinsically motivate students and lead to higher levels of achievement. These learning experiences involve allowing students to express and communicate their learning with others, understand and expand their personal strength and weaknesses, create real products for real purposes outside of the classroom, develop divergent thinking, apply higher level thinking skills, while connecting with others (from across the classroom to across the world). These same principles can be put in to practice in the stations and activities that are a central part of the Guided Reading classroom.
Collaborating to Improve Learning for All Students
Teachers across District 21 are encouraging one another to begin creating and sharing lessons with the above principles in mind. A district-wide wiki already exists where teachers will build quality, 21st Century Guided Reading learning experiences for students working in stations during Guided Reading time. Through professional collaboration online, in which teachers thoughtfully and respectfully improve one another's work, learning opportunities for all students in District 21 will improve. As Sir Ken Robinson states in his talk that was shown during the workshop, Changing Paradigms, collaboration truly is the stuff of growth!
What is Guided Reading?
Guided Reading encourages student ownership of learning by acting as the guide-on the side, or facilitator, as students learn to master new levels of reading and understanding of content. Teachers work with small groups of students while other students work either in groups or independently on related skills and content. Although Guided Reading began with primary grade level students, the benefits of Guided Reading for middle school students are just as powerful.
The strategies and structures employed in a classroom utilizing Guided Reading can be taught across all subject areas, including mathematics, science, and social studies. In any case, when teachers provided "guided learning" opportunities when working with small groups of students, teachers can more easily assess, guide, and provoke deeper levels of learning in all students.
Making Guided Reading Authentic in the 21st Century
Student-driven, authentic learning opportunities intrinsically motivate students and lead to higher levels of achievement. These learning experiences involve allowing students to express and communicate their learning with others, understand and expand their personal strength and weaknesses, create real products for real purposes outside of the classroom, develop divergent thinking, apply higher level thinking skills, while connecting with others (from across the classroom to across the world). These same principles can be put in to practice in the stations and activities that are a central part of the Guided Reading classroom.
Collaborating to Improve Learning for All Students
Teachers across District 21 are encouraging one another to begin creating and sharing lessons with the above principles in mind. A district-wide wiki already exists where teachers will build quality, 21st Century Guided Reading learning experiences for students working in stations during Guided Reading time. Through professional collaboration online, in which teachers thoughtfully and respectfully improve one another's work, learning opportunities for all students in District 21 will improve. As Sir Ken Robinson states in his talk that was shown during the workshop, Changing Paradigms, collaboration truly is the stuff of growth!
