100 Minutes Book Study Chapter 5 - Writing Around The Literacy Block

Today is another installment of our book study on 100 Minutes, Making Every Minute Count in the Literacy Block by Lisa Donohue.

If you missed my previous posts you can find them below:

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4

Today I am linking up with Melissa from Dilly Dabbles who is hosting today's chapter.

My thoughts on Chapter 5:

Summer time is the perfect time to work on a book study like this.  It gives me a chance to reflect on all of the areas that went well in my classroom, as well as an opportunity to brainstorm ways to improve things that did not go over quite as well.  As I read through this book I have several a-ha moments about both.  Many of the practices that went well (independent reading for most of my students was very strong) are ones that the author advocates using.  I have found a wealth of ideas for areas that I would like to improve such as writing and adding more time for social studies and science.

Chapter 5 details how to carve out a block of time in your literacy block for direct instruction of writing. Donohue states that you can use this time to model new forms of writing, explore mentor texts, determine success criteria, topic selection, mini-lessons on grammar, and much more. I know I hit some of those things last year, but I would like to go deeper with that.

Research states that teachers need to model thinking and composing strategies when teaching writing.  - THIS is what I need to be doing more of.  I occasionally modeled writing (and got much stronger written papers from my students) but I need to do this all of the time.

Donohue also offers some great questions to ask students as you explore mentor texts as writers.  Many of these questions such as "How does the author use descriptive writing and clear evidence to support his/her work?' align with the Common Core and will really stretch my students.

As I read more and more, I am beginning to give myself permission to do less.  Many of the comments on my previous post involve teachers saying they do not have enough time in the literacy block.  I have felt that way myself and we have 120 minute blocks of time set aside just for literacy - and yet it is never enough.  I think that limiting myself to the 100 minutes (and freeing up additional time for social studies and science - which will also have elements of literacy in them) and making that time more purposeful will be better than 120 minutes of just good enough instruction.  Do I really need to spend 20-30 minutes on word sorts when students don't transfer those spelling skills to their writing? Please tell me I'm not the only one who feels this way!

I will definitely be modeling writing in my classroom more.  Students need to know what my expectations are otherwise they will hand in superficial responses and ask "How many sentences do we need to write?"

We already use Marzano strategies at our school, so I love the idea of having students help generate the success criteria.

What mentor texts will I use and why?  What technique do I want them to notice and use?
How will I plan lessons that fit into our instructional units but also allow time to address student needs?

Next up- Chapter 6: Exploring Different purposes and Audiences

Be sure to visit Erin from A Piece of the Apple on June 13th  to continue this learning journey with us. She will be hosting chapter 6.

100 Minutes Book Study - Chapter 2 - The Building Blocks

I have bought some professional development books that are ok and I have bought others that I come back to time and again that get so beat up and used because they are just that good.  Each time I read them I find a new nugget I missed before.  I think this book is definitely going to be the latter and I am only through chapter 2!  I have had so many thoughts and ideas and am so glad that I decided to join this book study. If you haven't bought the book yet, you still can - it will be a great summer read!  You can read my thoughts on chapter 1 here if you missed it.

I am linking up with Kelly Anne at AppleSlices for Chapter 2.

My thoughts on Chapter 2:

As I read through the first two chapters I was really struck by how similar to Daily 5 many of the components are.  A lot of the research behind both methods is the same.

The author states that the 100 minute literacy block model was based on "the fundamental belief that students need time for explicit teaching, time for guided practice, and time for independent work." (p.14).

Chapter 2 fleshes out the key components or building blocks of the model.  Essentially the time is divided into two different chunks of whole group instruction (one for reading and one for writing) wrapped around a time for independent and small group work.

The end of the chapter paints a picture of the routine modeled by a class who has been using the routine.  As I read more, it is a picture I would like to see in my classroom, and one I am excited to continue to learn how to build.

As I read more and more, I am seeing how having less sessions and less switching during my literacy period will be a richer and more productive environment for my students.  Often I feel like I am interrupting them as they are really making a break through (finally settled into a book, or scribbling feverishly as they tell a new story) just to squeeze in a mini-lesson that isn't always what they need, but sometimes feels like I am just trying to fit SOMETHING in that chunk of time.

I am going through the standards for third grade (since I taught 4th this year) and am thinking about how I can create lessons around these new parameters.  I am both excited and nervous at the same time!

If you are reading along with this book, feel free to join in the discussion by linking up below.  I am looking forward to reading everyone else's thoughts and reflections!  

Next up- Chapter 3: Reading Around the Literacy Block

Be sure to come back here on May 30th to continue this learning journey with us. I am hosting chapter 3 and will have a giveaway and a freebie!

100 Minutes Book Study - Chapter 1 - 100 Minutes to Balance Literacy

One of my favorite things about summer is that I really get a chance to dig into some professional development books.  I have a chance to read, annotate, and reflect about how to change and constantly improve my teaching practice.  I am really excited to start the summer with this book study on 100 Minutes - Making Every Minute Count in the Literacy Block by Lisa Donohue.

The author opens the book with a confession of how she originally spent the first 100 minutes of Language Arts.  She talks about the feeling of it initially being an immense chunk of time.  I had to chuckle, because I remember feeling exactly the same way when I started teaching (now it seems there is never ENOUGH time!). She filled the hours with reading activities, worksheets, independent writing, and spelling units.  She also describes her struggle with the line of students that formed needing help as they edited their rough drafts.  Many of the struggles she describes ring familiar with me, and I look forward to digging deeper in the book to find her solutions.

My thoughts on Chapter 1:

Lisa Donohue opens this chapter by sharing the core beliefs that the 100 minute model is based on.  These beliefs are that students need:
                                               *time for explicit teaching
                                               * time for guided practice
                                               * time for independent work

In addition, students need to have choice in their learning and the opportunity to have their individual voices to be heard.  Most importantly, she states, "students should see their learning as important, relevant, and authentic."

In defining the term balanced literacy, the author believes that we need to include not only the traditional fundamentals of reading writing, listening, and speaking, but also the models of instruction (modeled, shared, guided, and independent) alongside the vehicles through which we learn and communicate (print and on-line texts, digital tools, media texts,collaborative, learning, and critical thinking).

The 100 Minute Literacy Framework centers around three blocks of time:

                                                  1. Reading Time  (20-30 min)  Lesson
                                                  2. AWARD Time (about 40 min) Independent/Small group work time
                                                  3. Writing Time  (20 - 30 min) Lesson

I currently use the Daily 5 system in my classroom, but our district is switching over to Balanced Literacy.  In reading this first chapter i have a few a-ha moments.  I often struggled trying to keep up with 5 mini-lessons for my students, especially that effected the whole group.  My students have had very varied needs, and I found my small group lessons a lot more effective.  I could target my instruction to their needs rather than to a "lesson" to fill time. I like the idea of having only two main lessons - one reading and one writing, and I think this will be more manageable and effective.  I think the individual activities of Daily 5 (read to self, read to someone, work on writing, word work, and listening to reading) will work well with the AWARD time.  This may be that missing link or puzzle piece that we older elementary teachers have struggled with in implementing Daily 5.

What will I include in the reading and writing lessons to make them as effective as possible?
  How will I tie this into the Common Core Standards?

If you are reading along with this book, feel free to join in the discussion by linking up below.  I am looking forward to reading everyone else's thoughts and reflections!  

Next up- Chapter 2: The Building Blocks

Be sure to visit Kelly Anne over at Appleslices on May 27th to continue this learning journey with us.