Sorry I’m a wee bit tardy with this post on my small group instruction, but it’s been a crazy week around here! :/
I’m really enjoying this linky! 🙂 Such a wonderful idea! 🙂 Thank you so much, Leigh, for hosting it!
If you’ve got ideas about small group instruction, please don’t hesitate to link up with Leigh by clicking on her button! 🙂
Okay, so, small group instruction in my classroom…I try to keep this super duper simple. I’m not one of those that has to have everything a specific way all the time. I like to think that my methods in the classroom are structured, but intentionally fluid. I like for my students to make good choices for themselves without always needing to consult me for every decision that they make. I find that to be exhausting. Coming back down to first grade this year, I was particularly concerned about them interrupting me during my small group time often. So, I really worked hard in the beginning of the year to have my directions for rotations to be explicit. I have a pocket chart that has pictures of each of the centers. I took pictures of each of the students to place by their rotation. So..for example, in the first row, those students pictured rotate to ‘read to self’, then computers, then word work, and last, ‘read to someone’. We did 20 minute rotations. I use Kagan structures in my room. I group students by high, medium high, medium low, and low. Each group has a student that fits into one of those categories. That is determined based on reading levels during literacy centers, and there are different groups for math.
I teach in two week bands. The first week is all skill based instruction. On the second week, I do guided reading groups and those groups are based on ability. On the guided reading week…when they are not with me, they go back to regular ‘Daily Five’ style centers. When we’re working together on that guided reading week, each group of kids is on basically the same level so that we can do a book together.
It probably took me about six weeks to get it to flow, but, once it started flowing…those kids were like on automatic pilot! 🙂 It got even better once a few of them learned to tell time to the minute!! Woot! Woot! 🙂 Ah-MAY-zing!
Last thing really quick…I had a giveaway for signing up to follow me on Blog Lovin’. Thanks so much for following me! :0) So excited about how well it went!
Ladies please select one unit from my store that you’d like to have and it’s yours! 🙂
Have a great day, everyone! 🙂
